


Let’s Be Messed Up Together

by Cheveyo (Miakoda)



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aftermath of Experimentations, Aftermath of Torture, Baby Groot, Caring Rocket Raccoon, Graphic description of torture, Later Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), M/M, Peter Quill Has PTSD, Post-Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Raccoon!Peter Quill, Rocket has PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-06-30 09:48:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15749223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miakoda/pseuds/Cheveyo
Summary: To gain control over the powerful Star-Lord and simultaneously get the benefit of getting revenge on the pesky project that ruined all their lives' work, Peter Quill had been taken by the same illegal organisation that created Rocket. By trying to turn him into their mindless puppet, the sadistic scientists wanted Rocket to feel a new kind of suffering, by torturing one of his best friends and making him into what Rocket hated the most in the whole galaxy.A monster, just like him.Fortunately, the team had been able to rescue Peter in time before they had gone completely through with their plan. But not in time to stop them from ruining Peter's life by changing him into a racoon.Ridden by guilt Rocket starts fearing that Peter would hate him for what he had done to him. And to make it even worse, Rocket starts developing unwanted feelings for the other racoon and starts believing he will never be worthy of his love.Will Rocket ever allow to forgive himself for what happened to his dear friend, and let himself to fall in love with the one man he could never have?But maybe, his love won't remain as one-sided as he thinks it to be.





	1. Chapter 1 (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, dear fellow Roquill Shippers!  
> I noted the severe lack of fanfics for this awesome pairing and decided to write my own story. And a multi-chapter.
> 
> Warning!  
> I did not read the GOTG comics. But I do know that the scientists on Rocket’s home planet were robots. But for the sake of this story, I turned them into aliens. It is an AU! so everything is made in good fun. I do not say that my take on Rocket’s past is accurate.  
> (But hey, apparently, and correct me if I'm wrong, in the comics, Drax used to be human before being given a more powerful body, and in the movies, he was an alien by nature, so... No hate, please.)
> 
> I do NOT own GOTG.
> 
> Note that my mother language is not English and that it’s not beta-read. Also, it is only the third story I’m posting on AO3 (so I’m still learning).  
> Comments, questions and proposals are very much welcome.  
> Enjoy~!

Everything was his fault.

 

If he had noticed sooner that they had walked into a trap. If he had just gone with his gut, telling him that something was amiss. Ushering his team to be more cautious and careful. If he hadn’t frozen up at the sight of those familiar coats.

If he had just done _something_!

Then maybe he could have stopped them from taking Quill from right under their noses! Stopped them from taking him to Half-World, his home planet, and do the same to Quill as they did to him.

 

Rocket didn’t know how he will face Quill ever again after this. Everything that had happened to his human friend was because of _Rocket_. Because of his inability to keep his best friend and teammate save. He was the reason why the lab coats took Peter from them. Because they wanted to make _Rocket_ suffer more than he ever did during his time as an experiment. To take revenge on how he destroyed all of their lives work while he escaped from their labs.

And that they did.

By taking his best friend and torturing him, hurting him. Right under Rocket’s nose. And he was unable to do anything until they reached the old facility and stormed inside with guns blazing.

 

They were furious. Out for blood and revenge. No one was allowed to just take their idiotic but lovable captain from them and hurt him just like that.

 

~~~***~~~

 

 

And now here Rocket was.

Standing in front of the run-down and partially destroyed facility that once housed him and several other misfortunate creatures just like him.Where they tortured and experimented on Rocket. Pulling him limp from limp, and putting him back together. Better. Stronger. Smarter. Deadlier. Cutting him up with bloody chainsaws, and rusty knives and dirty scalpels.

Effectively making him into their little monstrous weapon.

 

Holding one of the scientists at gunpoint. Others were strewn around them. Dead.

Rocket was shaking uncontrollably from the boiling rage coursing through the veins of his small frame. His muzzle was pulled back into a vicious snarl, letting out deep angered growls that Rocket wasn’t able, nor willing, to hold back at the sight of that twisted and fucking self-satisfied grin that stretched itself across the bi-coloured alien’s face.

 

“You’re too late. We already went through with our plan that we had for your dear human friend. I must say seeing and hearing him scream of agony and pain, as we cut him open was nearly as satisfying as hearing yours” came the manic laugh from the deranged scientist. Sharp shark-like teeth glinting in the low light of the street lamps, coated with his own blood, thanks to the beating he took from Rocket’s relentless fists and sharp claws.

 

Rocket yelled and didn’t hesitate a second longer before shooting that asshole right between the eyes with his newly upgraded version of his laser cannon, rendering the sentient’s head into a pile of green mush, while screaming all the way through it.

Rocket panted for a few moments after his outburst, trying to reign in his accelerated and agitated breathing. But, he felt a smite better than before.

 

„I am Groot“ spoke up the early teenaged tree, regarding the slumped-over form of the dead scientist with mild curiosity. His large beady eyes blinked slowly before slowly turning their gaze back to his father figure, who at this point only surpassed him in height by just a few inches.

Rocket turned to his dear friend whom he by now saw rather as a son than a colossal companion for bounty missions, and who was currently sharing the same worriedly twisted face of desperation and fear.

“We’ll get him back. Gamora, air for brains and that touchy-feely crybaby are surely on their way back with Star Dork in tow,” he assured the youngest, though his voice was strained by his own uncertainty.

 

And he wasn’t wrong. Not even 5 minutes later, still defending the entrance from hostile sentries, Rocket saw the quickly approaching figures of the two mercenaries and the empath.

But no Star-Lord.

No Peter Quill.

No overexcited humie idiot running towards Rocket, yelling about whatever just happened to him.

 

Rocket’s heart plummeted to his feet, crashing into millions of tiny pieces.

Peter wasn’t with them.

Quill was-

Peter....

He couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t. He was much too stubborn and idiotic to die like this, without a big show of explosions and Blue Swede running in the background!

He just couldn’t!

 

Rocket’s throat closed up, reality striking him hard in his furry face, that Peter was not returning.

Not this time.

Not ever again.

 

That was until he noted how Drax seemed to carry something in his arms. Something large and wrapped in a dark red leather jacket.

Peter’s ravager jacket.

 

Rocket’s ears twisted forward both in confusion and curiosity as he tried to distinguish what it could be that was wrapped inside of it.The solemn expressions on the others faces didn’t promise anything good though.

 

Rocket still dared to ask, worrying his paws as he looked up at his teammates, “Where is Quill? What happened to him? What did those assholes do?”

Drax looked with a sad and guilty look down at the mystery bundle he’s carrying in his arms. At that moment, the only logical thought that Rocket could assume was that it were the remains of Peter’s severed body after whatever the scientists did to him.

That was answer enough as to where Peter was, but he did not yet know what happened to their captain.

 

Gamora answered with a heavy tone “We were too late. We couldn’t save him from their plan. And now....” she swallowed as she looked at the lump in Drax’s arms. Mantis antennae dropped as she silently wallowed with her friends. 

 

“....He’s dead” whispered Rocket, finishing her sentence, ears and tail dropping as depression slowly started to creep in on him.

First Groot had to be taken from him and now Peter. Why did every person he came to care about had to die through his hands?

If anyone deserved it than it was Rocket himself. He was the real monster between all of them.

 

Not Groot.

And definitely not Peter.

 

“No, he’s alive. But just barely” mumbled Drax gravelly. Rocket’s head shot up at the sudden revelation and his copper eyes instantly fixed themselves on the lump in his arms. “Though, I don’t know what would have been more merciful,” finished Drax his sentence, his implication heavily clear to all of them. 

 

The muscular alien pulled the red leather a little aside, revealing something furry caked in mud and blood.

Weren’t it for the barely distinguishable ringed tail then Rocket wouldn’t have been able to guess what exactly happened to him.

 

Rocket mumbled a barely heard, “They turned him into a monster like me...”

The three taller aliens looked at Rocket with pity and grief in their sad eyes. But Rocket ignored them. He didn’t want it. Didn’t deserve it.

 

An explosion coming from deep inside of the facility roused the Guardians from their current state of mourning and back to the situation at hand. They, but mostly Peter, were still in danger and needed to get out of there  

Gamora was as ever the voice of reason when Quill couldn’t and ordered them back to the Milano, “Let’s get out of here. Peter needs medical attention. Immediately!”

 

The other Guardians didn’t need to be told twice and immediately rushed back to where they parked their ship, a few miles outside of the precinct of the by now burning facility. Fortunately, they weren’t met with further resistant as all sentries had been called back to the facility to try and stop the raging fire, allowing the Guardians to arrive at their ship within mere minutes.

Gamora and Drax hastily made their way into the room the team reserved as an infirmary in case of an emergency. And this was an emergency. 

 

Rocket wanted to follow them.Make sure that Peter was safe and alive.

But they had to get away, and he was the only one who could fly the Milano out of this hell hole, while Quill was out of commission and with Gamora occupied with taking care of him.

 

So without wasting any more time, Rocket made his way to the cockpit and started the large ship. Within minutes they were ready for take-off and Rocket was just all too happy to ditch this place.

 

Shooting a last look back at the closed door of the infirmary, Rocket pulled the lever and took off into the vast empty space of the galaxy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I will be able to post regularly... ANYWAY~!
> 
> Racoon!Peter Quill for, while there seem to be a few Human!Rocket fics, there aren’t as many the other way around. And racoon!Peter is just so cute!
> 
> I hope you liked it!  
> Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys!
> 
> Here's the second chapter!  
> I had it already pretty much finished when I decided to post this story, but I needed to review and check for as much grammar errors as possible before uploading it. It's longer than the first one, but that was just a prologue for the story. The third chapter is also half-way finished. Though it may take longer for me to upload it, as I will have a pretty busy week with me going back to uni.
> 
> But until then, enjoy~!

“You should go and see him.”

 

Rocket flinched. His ears folded back in agitation and guilt, though he would never admit to the latter.

 

It wasn’t a suggestion nor a plea, but more of an indirect order. But everything coming from Gamora’s lips was an order, one way or another.

 

Rocket continued with reassembling his moon bomb, a ‘lovingly’ given nickname by Peter after he found it for the umpteenth time rolling happily around in an unsafe place, such as Rocket’s favourite box, where he stashed any kind of weaponry, or worse, on top of the cupboard in the kitchen area.

Groot was sitting next to him, helpfully handing whatever tool he needed at the moment, even if it was the wrong one most of the time. At least he was helping, in cheering up his father figure. And Rocket was still too much in a slump after what happened over two weeks ago to point it out to the youngest.

 

“I’ve got things to do, like things to fix. A ship to fly,” he mumbled, as he added a new catalyst to the bomb.

 

Gamora’s jaw tensed as she tried to control her anger and hold herself back from just grabbing the pesky man by the scruff of his dark furred neck and throw him into the infirmary so that he would just _talk_ to Peter.

 

“You know, he asked for you. _He_ at least wants to see you” she tried again to persuade the reluctant engineer of the team with a little too much bite in her voice. She watched him grab for a spare metal part that he was going add to the shell of the ball-like bomb. She also noted how said piece of metal let out a pitiful ache as Rocket’s amplified strength threatened to crush it as he balled his paws into tight fists.

 

Rocket turned his head towards her and snarled low and dangerous, “Ya don’t know what ya’re talking about. I am the last person Quill wants to see in the flarkin’ galaxy.”

 

Gamora did not flinch or back away from Rocket’s seething tone, already having anticipated that kind of reaction coming from the other. So, she stood calm and stern, not letting the smaller try intimidating her.

It may work on Mantis.

But not on her.

She was the most dangerous woman in the galaxy. A daughter of Thanos. And nothing could ever compare to the cruelty she had witnessed while under his command. 

 

“You have no idea what it was like back in there. All those experiments they put us through for their own sick pleasure. The daily pain we had to endure! Making us into things we weren’t supposed to be! And how do you think Quill feels about all this?! I, at least, used to be whatever animal I am before being turned into a hypermodified sentient with high intelligence and amplified strength. But they completely changed Quill’s nature without any way back! He doesn’t need me making his whole situation worse...”

At the end of his tirade, Rocket was panting and shaking from all those overflowing feelings inside him. Anger. Frustration. Despair. Loss. Anxiety. Helplessness. All cumulating into one giant ball of anguish in the pit of his stomach.

 

Groot, who was still sitting next to him, clutched a wrench close to his body and looked at his father with wide, wet eyes. Not because he was afraid, but because he was concerned. Seeing his strictest parent angry was a constant in his life, and more often than not pretty funny to witness. But never had his anger came as close as to this same extent. And while he always knew how to cheer Rocket up, he just didn't know how to at this very moment. He didn't want his father to hurt like that.

 

Gamora remained silent throughout the whole of it. Not because she was talked into silence by the stressed racoon. No. It was because she really did not understand his kind of suffering. That didn’t mean she knew none at all. But she also knew that it won’t help if she tried to console him right now. It would be the last thing Rocket wanted to hear at that moment.

 

So, she sighed again, “How can you be so sure about how Peter will react to seeing you? You can’t avoid him forever. You may as well get it over with now.” She then shrugged and turned around to go back to the cockpit.

When she was a few steps away, she turned her head back a little and added, “You know, what Peter needs right now is a close friend who understands him more than the rest of us will ever do and help him to pull through it. Ever thought of it this way?”

 

And then she was gone before Rocket could protest back, leaving him sitting there, slumped over, head and arms hanging dejectedly down and ears folded back against his scalp.

 

Groot inched closer to his father and placed a tiny hand on top of Rocket’s that was lying unmovingly next him, still holding half-heartedly on to the, by now, slightly bend metal piece. Rocket looked down at the small tree with a defeated look in his dark copper eyes. He just didn't know what to do anymore.

It was then that Groot knew what he had to say, „ _We_ are Groot.“ His childish voice ringed with determination.

 

Rocket perked up at those familiar and heart-tearing words, mouth slightly agape as he stared at the tiny tree in fascination, tears springing to his eyes. Sniffling softly before hastily rubbing away the tears, Rocket couldn’t help but chuckle at this whole fucked up situation. He hated when he didn’t know what to do; when he wasn’t in control of a situation and had to go in blind. Be it a mission or emotional shit affecting his personal life.

And- And this! This whole shit that happened to Peter was so messed up that he just didn’t know how to tread this unknown water.

 

Truth be told, he was scared shitless. But when even Groot agreed with Gamora and told him to grow a pair, then he would have to.

 

He looked back at Groot and petted his adopted son soft on top of his leafy head, sighing heavily, „Alright. I’ll go and see him. Doesn’t mean I actually want to.“

He frowned in distaste as he observed how a large smile stretched itself across the small tree’s face, grumbling, „Quit it. Don’t need ta be so flarkin’ proud about it.“

 

~~~***~~~

 

And that’s how Rocket found himself nearly an hour later in front of the infirmary, ears and tail twitching with strained nervosity. At least, he had gained the courage to approach the door, even if it took him half an hour to move in its general direction. But after a little more fiddling, Rocket braced himself and reluctantly knocked on the door before he could decide otherwise. His tail was nervously twitching from side to side as he waited.

 

It only took a few moments for Peter to answer, his voice still very much the same even if a little bit altered and weak from the experimentation and torture performed upon him.

 

At the low “Come in” Rocket pushed the door open and entered the small infirmary. He remained standing close to the door, in case he needed to make a quick exit. Unfortunately, the room was so small that there was only 4 feet of space between the bed and the door.

So, Rocket kept his eyes diverted to the ground. He did not yet want to look at Peter. He couldn’t bear to see Peter looking like him. Like a freaking monster. Something that was never meant to exist. But also, because he was not yet ready to be faced with the hate and rage, the once human was sure to hold in his eyes. He was not yet ready to lose a close friend yet again.

 

Remembering back to what Drax said that night while carrying Peter’s limp and altered body, Rocket found himself silently agreeing in his mind.

Would it have been more merciful to let Peter die and not go through this torture of being a freak of nature and suffering through the constant pain of his mechanised body, and discrimination of other sentients?

Or, to let him live and watch him struggle as his whole world had been turned upside down, trying to handle the new life that had been painfully thrusted upon him?

Freakin’ ethical dilemma.

 

Rocket just couldn’t bear the thought of being on the receiving end of Peter’s hateful glares and accusations on how Rocket destroyed his human body, and effectively his entire future life. He wouldn’t care if it was anybody else, but this was Quill. Loveable and cheeky human Peter Quill, who was the only one next to Groot who earned a place in Rocket’s scarred heart. But once again, Rocket was just too stubborn and scared to ever admit to having this kind of his feelings for someone, least of all the idiotic humie.

 

“Rocket! Hey, buddy! I missed you.” Rocket flinched once more at Peter’s voice, but was instantly confused at how happy and elated the other man sounded at his presence. He did not detect any kind of animosity in the other’s tone, only sincerity. And he couldn’t understand why.

“Rocket? What’s wrong?” His voice sounded even smaller and higher than it did when he was human, most likely because of the altered vocal cords of his new body. The guilt grew heavier at every small change that Rocket detected in Peter. 

 

Rocket heard a sigh coming from the other man. So, he knew that even while weakened by the painful experiments, torture and the haunting trauma put upon him, Peter was still able to read Rocket’s body language. Therefore, he must of have been able to recognise the signs that showed that Rocket was beating himself up over what he thought was his fault of what happened to Peter. 

 

Rocket’s ears twitched at the sound of the rustling sheets and lifted his gaze high enough so that he could only see the bed sheet covered lump of Peter’s lower body-half drawing closer to him. A body that was entirely too small for the proud man.

 

“Rocket. Buddy. Hey, come on. Look at me.” he softly urged. But Rocket diverted his gaze even more now.

More rustling was to be heard, and by now Peter was sitting on the edge of the low standing bed.

 

“Rocket... It wasn’t your _fault_ ” sighed Peter.

 

At that Rocket snapped, not knowing how to handle this calm and understanding side of Peter, “Not my fault?! They kidnapped you! Tortured you! Turned you into a freaking monster like me! You’re not human anymore, Quill. Just because they wanted to get to me! And you tell me it wasn't my fault?!”

His paws formed into fists and his small stature shook as he did not know how to control his anger at this whole confusing ordeal.

Peter should be angry at him. He should yell at him that he never wants to see Rocket again, blame him for ruining him, insult him as everybody else did, and throw him out of the room and threaten him to kill him.

Instead, here he is, trying to assure Rocket with a soothing tone that it wasn't his fault.

 

“Why don’t you hate me!? I-I ruined your life! You will never be the same again, just because of me! So, why...?!” Rocket’s voice quivered and broke at the end of his desperate questioning.

 

He pinched his eyes closed and placed his hands over his eyes. After his outburst, Peter must have realised how truly detestable Rocket is and would order him to leave him alone at any minute now. Maybe even throw him off the team. 

It was like losing Groot all over again. But this, this was just so much worse, in the way that it was entirely Rocket’s fault.

 

That was why he flinched so hard before completely freezing still on the spot as a small hand placed itself on top of his furry head.

A hand that was just like his own. Carefully caressing him and rubbing him behind his ears to calm him down. It worked like magic and Rocket found himself letting go of some of the tensenesses in his body.

 

“It wasn’t your fault. You could not of have known that they were going to take me. It is pretty shitty, yes…. “ mumbled Peter softly, but Rocket was still able to hear the slight hitch in his voice, „And I will need some time to get used to this new body and the pain, yes. But that’s why I got you and the rest of the team, no? When did I ever let something bring me down? Not even my own father, who was a celestial god, could bring me to my knees.“

He let out a soft chuckle to try and lighten the heavy mood enveloping the room, but Rocket was still too guilt-ridden to fully appreciate Peter’s well-meant optimism.

 

A second hand joined the first and cupped Rocket’s face carefully, small opposable thumbs caressing his cheeks and ears. Unconsciously, Rocket leaned his head further into the soft caress, closing his eyes as he just let himself soak up the warmth and the careful contact of those paws identical to his.

No one has ever touched him like this. And even while he should pull away and put as much distance between Peter and himself as possible so as to not hurt him further, he just couldn’t help himself but be selfish for once.

It was pretty damn nice.

 

„So, please. Just look at me, Rocket,“ asked Peter softly, nearly begging. He didn’t want for Rocket to avoid him for the rest of his life. Not willing to look at him, because his new appearance was a reminder to his horrid past and how it was seemingly Rocket’s fault, even if it wasn’t.

 

Rocket sighed and let Peter tilt his hanging head up. Steeling himself for what he was about to see as soon as he opened his eyes.

 

He took a deep breath.

 

His tail twitched anxiously.

 

And his eyes cracked open, finally daring to look up.

 

And the only thing Rocket could do, once he finally took in Peter’s new self, was to silently gape at the sight of the brilliant pair of baby blue eyes belonging to the beautiful racoon sitting in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter!! And only one day late!
> 
> This one is fluffy and cute (and I hope I wasn't too sappy at times) but the angst will return.  
> So, I hope you'll like it as much as you did the last two.
> 
> Enjoy~

Rocketwas starring. He knew he was. But what else could he do?

The truth was, Peter was a very, _very_ pretty racoon.

Unlike him, with his dirty grey and brown fur, Peter’s was a bright strawberry blonde, with a little darker shaded streak running across his back and making up the darker rings of his tail.

His bandit mask was the same ginger colour his hair used to be. And his nose was a cute rosy brown instead of the muddy black likeRocket’s.

He seemed a little chubbier than him, but that’s also because of his very fluffy fur. Rocket’s own fur was unkempt, sparse, mainly on his back and gritty. He just didn’t see the point in keeping his fur neat and shiny, as it will only get dirty again when he worked on his machines or during bloody missions. He just kept it clean enough so that it wasn’t uncomfortable or sticky.

But Peter... He was so bright and beautiful, just as he used to be as a human.

He was so vastly different from Rocket, so fucking pretty, that it nearly hurt to look at him. He was no ugly monstrosity like him. Nothing at all like he imagined.

No too noticeable scars or implants.

But Rocket knew that the metal implants keeping his spine in the s-form were there, lodged deep inside his bones. He had seen the x-rays that Mantis had grabbed from the lab and which verified their existence. It was a painful and not as a pretty a sight as the man's outer appearance.

The only externally visible implant was a straight and narrow line running down from the middle of Peter’s shoulder blades to just above his tailbone. The metallic technology was even neatly covered by Peter’s long fluffy fur, hiding it pretty well from curious onlookers. Rocket knew that it was only thanks to their early intervention that it remained that proper. Thanks to the help of a holographic phone call to her cyborg sister Nebula, Gamora was able to properly clean and treat the still fresh wounds and sensitive skin around the implant, before they could catch any kind of inflammation.

Rocket hadn’t had that much luck. And now he had those ugly monstrosities of scars crisscrossing all over his back. Worse was that he was constantly forced to endure reoccurring inflammations himself and painful itching, thanks to how the scientist mistreated his wounds. Opening them again and again with dirty scalpels, and causing them to burn with whatever bacteria or virus they caught. It had hurt like a bitch, but it was only a small part of the whole package that had been delivered upon him by those assholes.

The rest of Peter’s implants were completely internal and looked more complex and high-tech thanRocket’s did. Rocket asked himself why, though. Why did the scientist go to such immense measures to pump Peter full with the newest and most high-tech cybernetics they had? Had the scientists something planned for him? If yes, then it was good that they managed to get Peter back before they could go any further with their plan.

Thinking about this made him sick with guilt all over again. And angry. So, so angry, making him wish that he could kill those bastards fora third time. And blow up Halfworld for good.

 But returning back to the present, what threw Rocket off the most when looking at the blonde racoon, was the warm and happy smile that greeted him. All these days of staying away from Peter, of not daring to look at him, in fear of only seeing hate, disgust and resentment towards him for what he did to Peter, he did not think he would ever again be graced by that trademark smile from his captain again.

And yet there it was, bright and as charming as ever, and Rocket could only silently gape at Peter.

Noting his befuddlement, Peter snickered, his pearl white paws coming up in front of his equally pearl white snout.

“I take it then, that I am at least a handsome racoon,” he purred teasingly and tilted his head slightly to the side, fluffy ears flopping sideways with the sudden movement.

_ Damnit was the head tilt that Peter just did cute! No one was allowed to look that cute! Least of all, that idiot! _

Snapping his mouth shut, Rocket coughed and shook his head in protest, “No! Just- Still need to wrap my head around... you being like this...”

Peter laughed, amused at his apparent lack of fire in his usually so vehement and vulgar protests. Reaching out again, he took Rocket’s darker coloured paws into his.

And let Rocket tell you something, it was simultaneously weird and exhilarating to feel the same kind of hands grasping his own for the first time in his measly life. The strange sensation of a pair of equally calloused hands on his own sent pleasant shivers down his spine.

Peter grinned at him in question, “Help me down?”

 Jolting, Rocket stood straight up on his spot and did as asked, helping the other to slip off the bed.

He gnawed at his lips as he noted how shaky Peter was when his feet touched the ground.

 “Ya sureya’re ready ta go wanderin’ around here?” he questioned, worried for the other, though he would never openly admit it to anyone, least of all Peter.

“I need to start at one point no? So why not now? And besides, I’m feeling so energised and restless right now that I wouldn’t even be able to lie still in bed for a second longer anyway,” joked Peter back as he tried to straighten himself up, before uttering softly “You get me? Like, I want to get up and move. I want to learn how to use my new body. Get used to it...”

Rocket said nothing, just helping him silently. He understood. It wasn’tnecessarily to learn how to use his new body but to show and prove that this major fuck-up wouldn’t weigh him down. Proving to the others, but most of all Peter himself that the scientists did not break him. He was Star-Lord. Legendary outlaw and the fearless leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Wobbling on his new, much shorter and so far, unused legs, it came as it had to and Peter lost his balance. Falling forward, Rocket was, fortunately, able to catch him by wrapping his arms around the blonde’s waist. Said blonde placed his paws on Rocket’s shoulders to catch himself from his unfortunate fall. Their snouts were only a hair’s breath away from each other. In fact, their nose tips were softly touching theother’s. 

Frozen like that, Rocket could only stare into those baby blue eyes in front of him. They just seem to pull him in, hogging all of his attention and not letting him look anywhere else but them. Unconsciously, his grip tightened around Peter’s waist. And wow, Peter’s fur felt really soft and silky to the touch. Maybe because it was still so new. Just like that of a baby animal. But underneath all that fluff was a strong and lean body.

Smirking again at Rocket’s obvious staring, the newly turned racoon took that chance to take his teasing a little further.

Shooting Rocket a come-hither expression through half-lidded blue eyes, while pressing himself closer to the other’s muscular and furry chest and playfully wrapping his around the other‘s neck, Peter purred, “Hey, handsome. Come here often?”

Rocket’s fur bristled at the blatant flirting and was secretly glad that his dark fur hid the heat that crept into his cheeks and ears. He had never been on the receiving end of those flirtations that aliens were throwing left and right at each other. The only thing that came close to itwere the harmless compliments about his smarts and handicraft by Quill. But before all that, Rocket had to endure nasty insults like ‘rodent’, ‘vermin’, ‘pest’, ‘trash’ and the likes that were thrown at his face.

So, he really didn’t know what to do or how to act when faced with this kind of situation. Especially when faced with a very pretty raccoon right in front of him, holding on to his shoulders like they were in one ofthese eye-rolling, nauseously romantichumie chick-flick movies that Quill had shown them one night. He was totally and utterly lost and he really, really didn’t like that feeling. His hands itched to do something about his unease. Like building weapons and explosives, which was his perfect idea of calming himself down when angered, agitated or nervous. And then using said weapons and bombs like the trigger-happy fiend he is. Preferably to blow up an unfortunate moon in theircloser proximity.

It also didn’t help that it was Peter who embodied said attractive mirror image. The man was already fairly attractive as ahumie, not that Rocket would of have ever admitted it to said man’s face.

The idiot’s ego was fucking big enough already.

But now. Now Rocket couldn’t say anythingto begin with. He couldn’t even deny his growing attraction to the happy-go-lucky man who looked now just like him.

There was just something about Quill’s whole person that pulled everyone in that knew him. Even Rocket. Even when Peter still used to be a human.

Something inside of him, perhaps the still existing primal instincts of his former life and that the scientists were never able to fully get rid of, just wanted to take this chance of finally gaining a potential mate. Courting him, impressing him and- Why the fuck was he even thinking like that!? Why was it that everything that involved Peter confused him so much?!

Really... All these go-in-blind situations happened so often by now that it slowly kept growing old. Actually, ever since he knew Peter Quill.

That idiot of a man will be the death of him one day.

But because he didn’t want to leave him and the others of their little ragtag group of outlaws - for they were the only friends, the only _family_ , he has - Rocket will keep on kicking patches of grass and ripping his fur out to quench his frustration and keep himself from throttling saididiot.

The pretty idiot that was currently looking at him with bright blue eyes and fluttering his eyelashes. A broad and amused smirk stretched across his beautiful face.

_ Snap out of it, Rocket! _

He can’t think of Quill like that. The man was ahumie, at least used to be, before he got turned into a monster like himself because of _him_.

_ It was my fault! _

_ Quill- _ __ **_ Peter _ ** __ _ would never-. _

Shaking his head to get rid of his current train of thoughts, Rocket pulled away from Peter with a stammered, “Quit it, idiot”.

Peter chuckled and dropped his paws back down to Rocket’s hands, keeping a tight hold on them, as he was still unused to his new and so much shorter body while he tried to take his first steps, “Kidding, kidding. It’s just so easy to tease you.”

Swallowing, Rocket just kept silent, not really trusting his own voice at the moment, least he feared he would let out an embarrassing squeak.

So, he kept to helping Peter walk, one step at the time towards the door.

Slowly but surely the blonde got the hang of how he had to manoeuvre his new body. “You’re doing good, Star Dork,” he found himself encouraging the other.

And the toothy smile that the blonde presented him with in response to his encouragement was just as blinding and as charming as it used to be when he was still ahumie. Despite the rows of tiny sharp teeth making up his smile.

If Rocket tried that he would look just like some wild beast, with hismuzzle pulled back into a grimacing snarl as if ready to bite the receiver of said smile’s hand off.

Go figure that Quill would naturally abuse his new cuteness factor, even while being totally oblivious to his new powers.

Folding his ears back and swallowing shallowly, Rocket slowly led Peter out of the room for the first time since days after him being bed bound. But he did make a note to himself to keep on helping and training Peter on how to use his new body and abilities.

Like Gamora said, after everything that has happened to him, the guy deserved a friend who understood him and could help him. And as long as Peter didn’t hate him, Rocket will be that one friend to bring him back to his feet.

~~~***~~~

By the time they made it to the lounge, with a few further instances where Peter had lost his balance or tripped over his prehensile feet and had to lean on a blushing Rocket, Peter had slowly but surely gotten the hang of his new body. By now he was holding on to one of Rocket’s hand as security only, as he was still a little weak soshort after being turned into a racoon.

They were met with the rest of the team sitting around their lounge, looking at the pair with wide and surprised eyes, not expecting Peter to make an experience outside of the infirmary so soon.

Peter smiled at them widely, waving at them in a happy greeting, “Hey, guys!"

“Peter/QUILL!” they cried, jumping up as one to go and greet him back in their midst.

“I am Groot!” yelled Groot excitedly as he came running over.

Peter smiled and opened his arms to welcome the sapling into his furry arms.

“Yeah, I’m happy to see you too” cooed Peter, wrapping his arms around Groot.

Rocket watched on silently, suppressing the smile that threatened to cross his lips at the rather cute sight of his best friend and self-proclaimed son. Instead, he crossed his arms and leaned against the metal wall next to him, watching how Drax picked both of the still hugging Peter and Groot up into the air and pressing them close to his muscular chest while letting out a loud bellowing laugh. Mantis wrapping her arms around them from the other side, joining Drax giddily in his cheer.

“My friend Quill! You have returned to us! I’m glad to see you up and so well.”

A tall and imposing presence appeared next to him. Looking up from the corner of his eye, he was met with Gamora’s knowing smile. His muzzle twitched up into an annoyed snarl as he noted the look in her dark eyes of pride in her own persuasion skills. It wasan unspoken ‘I told you so’ and ‘I was right all along.’

And yeah, he knew that she was, but she didn’t need to rub it in.

Rocket expected to hear something of that kind to come from her dark green lips right after, but instead, he heard a soft “Thank you” addressed to him. And that surprised him more than anything else would ever have. He looked up at her again, the surprise in his face blatantly laid out before her and she shot him a kinder smile in return, before leaving his side and joining the still on-going group hug. He stood there dumbfounded for another few moments, just looking at the others. He laid his paws on his chest as a warm and pleasant feeling started to spread itself inside of it. A small and nearly unnoticeable smile appearing on his muzzle as he watched Peter’s fluffy head pop out from the midst of the hug, grinning widely and happily at being at the centre of histeam mates’ affections.

Yet, it dropped when he noted the slightly masked look of discomfort and pain when Drax hugged Peter’s still aching and sensitive body too hard. Remembering his own excruciating pain, he possessed after the acquirement of his cybernetics, Rocket stepped forward and ushered the idiots to leave Peter alone, without saying it outright. One of Rocket’s distinctive abilities. 

“Alright, alright, we get it, you love each other! Now stop it,ya’re making me sick with all thatmush,” he grumbled, the annoyance at said PDA was not even faked. Though, Rocket did not yet realize that his frustration was mainly because he wanted to be the one hugging Peter close and no one else.

Peter was secretly relieved at escaping Drax’s crushing hug. His body started to ache again, his joints and bones acting up thanks to the still freshly implanted metal technology.

He shot a look at Rocket and smiled. Rocket believed himself as unreadable at times, a guy who could successfully close himself off to everyone else around his vicinity. But Peter was more perceptive than his team, and other aliens often gave him credits for. He wasn’t a legendary outlaw for nothing.

So, to Peter Rocket was an open book right now. And Peter knew exactly what Rocket’s actually intention had been about when he complained to them. But so as to not crush the other man’s dignity, he masked his thanks with teasing. Namely spreading his arms open and enveloping his darker counterpart in a hug while cooing teasingly, “Awwww, were you jealous? There, there. I didn’t forget about you.”

Rocket froze up again at being pulled into another unexpected hug by the other racoon. The warm and content feeling he felt before returned tenfold. And while it did make him feel happy and pleased it also made him uncomfortable as to why exactly he felt that way when Peter was touching him.

So, the only solution he saw in stopping to make him feel this way was to push the other away again, grumbling, “Damn it, Star Dork. I wasn’t jealous. Quit it with your idiocy.”

Peter huffed, slightly amused, but did pull back to allow Rocket some private space. Rocket, on the other hand, instantly started to miss the warm body that fit so well against his own, but immediately gave himself a mental slap, for _he can’t think like that about Quill!_

Rocket eyed Quill with a serious expression, before flicking his forehead when the idiot kept grinning at him dorkily, causing the blonde to let an indignant squawk, “Hey! What was that for?”

“For being an idiot. Pull yourself together, or else I won’t train with you” he muttered. _Crisis averted._

Peter perked up at that, “You will train me?!”

A snort, “Well someone has to show you how to bean awesome… whatever we are supposed to be.” He completely ignored Peter’s quite “raccoons” comment.

Peter grinned widely and hugged him again, despite all of Rocket’s protests, “Thank you! Thank you, Rocky! You’re the best!”

Rocket could only utter a strangled groan. _Or not. Damn it! What was it with Peter and touching others?!_

Standing only a few feet away, Gamora smiled silently to herself as she observed the soft interaction between her captain and best friend and their engineer and technician. Seeing something the others, but mainly the two furry idiots in front of her could not.

_ Not yet. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gamora is on to them. And they don't even realise it yet. 
> 
> Anyway! I was really happy about the notifications you guys sent me so far. They keep me motivated.  
> So, keep messaging me if you want. And as I already said suggestions for further plot ideas are really welcome. If you have a certain scenario in mind that you would like to see in this story, send them to me, and I'll see if I can build it in the story. 
> 
> Until then, see you guys next time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally returned with Chapter 4!  
> Sorry that it took this long, but with classes having officially started again, and with this chapter not wanting to let itself write, I was also busy playing the new Spider-Man game (It's amazing!).
> 
> But here it is. At last. And to make it up, it's even longer than the last three chapters (though I originally did not intend to make it this long. It just happened...)  
> Also, this chapter is fluff, fluff, fluffiness, before the angst returns in the next chapter. 
> 
> But just let me tell you that from here on out that my posting-schedule won't be as regular, as classes, assessments and essays will keep me quite busy for the next three months. That doesn't mean I won't upload any chapter at all during these months. It will just take a little longer. On the plus side, I have already planned out the next 4-5 chapters. And I'll keep working on the story as much as I can. So rest assured! I am not abandoning this fic so fast!
> 
> But enough of that!  
> Enjoy~!

A loud groan echoed through the room.

Peter’s tired and exhausted body slumped against the soft mat, limp and soft beneath Rocket’s. His fluffy chest was rising up and down, eagerly sucking in breath after breath after this breath-stealing activity they just did together.

Rocket was no better, his face hovering only a few inches above Peter's, their breaths intermingling with each other.

Another soft groan, coupled with a disbelieving chuckle, slipped through Peter’s slightly parted lips, “Damn, Rocky. T-That was amazing! W-Where… Where did you learn to move like that?”

 

Above him, Rocket did his best not to… blush and let out an embarrassing squeaking sound at how… misinterpreted Peter’s words could be taken. For once in his life, he was happy for his dark fur, that was now conveniently concealing the mad blush taking over his face. The same could not be said though at how the coarse hair was bristling along his neck and cheeks because of the very same heated reason.

Opening and closing his mouth a few times, not unlike a fish, before he finally found something to say that wouldn’t betray that his mind just went down the gutter.

 

“Yeah, well you really need to work on your footwork, idiot. Can’t be stumbling around like a new-born Gegku in the middle of the fight.” he internally prided himself for not stuttering.

 

Peter let out an amused chuckle of disbelief and cracked his eyes open to look at the darker coloured racoon above him before he playfully pushed his face away and off of him. Even if Rocket cussed at him for doing it, the darker male was secretly happy to have less skin contact with the other man and to put some much-needed distance between them.

 

“Excuse me? I thought I was doing pretty good, considering that I have only been up and about again for only two weeks now. Gotta pay me some credits here, dude,” defended Peter his recent performance in his current training session with the other Procyon.

 

Standing up and dusting some dirt from his fur, Rocket found himself genuinely surprised that he had to agree with the blonde.

It had only roughly been two weeks since Rocket led Peter out of his confinements in the infirmary. He needed some time to get used to walking around with a body nearly two thirds shorter than its original size had been, and with paw feet acted kind of similar to his hands. And while his mind hadn’t completely caught up with the new manoeuvring yet, he had adapted remarkably quickly to his new body.

So much so, that Peter already wanted to start his training with Rocket three days after his leave from the infirmary. Though, Rocket and the rest of the team managed to persuade him in waiting for a few more days. Get in some more rest. And to use that time to get surer on his feet.

 

That had led to Peter eagerly dragging Rocket to the Milano’s training room, only a few days later, so that they could get started on their training sessions right away.

They started slow, with Rocket showing Peter how to run, and then later to do the same thing on all fours. It had been quite funny watching him fall splat on his face the first time he tried it, and Rocket did not even try to hold back the loud, boisterous laugh that erupted from his mouth.  
However, with every session, Peter got better and better.

He wasn’t perfect at it yet, but for someone that just went through a traumatic experience, lost his human body and was forcefully turned into an artificially created racoon with cybernetic bone structures, all of that having happened only a few weeks ago, he really did well today.

He only stumbled once this training session, after nearly two hours of attacking and dodging, ending with Peter’s bones aching and his muscles protesting to keep him up any longer. Thus, allowing Rocket to lunge at him with a twist of his body on all fours and pin the tired blonde to the ground, effectively leading up to their current, kind of… suggestive position.

 

So, maybe he should offer some credit to the exhausted man as he did earn it after working so hard for these past two weeks.

 

Rocket sighed and looked down at the still limp form of his captain and best friend and grumbled a soft, “Fine…. You did good today, Star Dork. Keep it up like this, and you may become as good a fighter as me.”

And that was true, just by assessing these last few training sessions Rocket knew that Peter would be able to control his body in no time and become a damn good fighter.

 

Peter looked at him with tired but still elated sky-blue eyes, a beaming smile rolling onto his lips and stretching his face wide.

“You think so? Thanks, man” he said, still a little breathless but slowly calming down. He sniffled and curled his nose in disgust when he took in the rancid smell of his dirtied fur, “Damn, I smell. Need to hit the shower.”

 

Rocket rolled his eyes. He didn’t understand Peter’s obsession with smelling like a freaking Xandarian fragrance shop and keeping his fur all clean and shiny and fluffy.

Not that it didn’t suit him. On the contrary. It worked really, _really_ well for the blonde. And Rocket _really_ wanted to put his face-! _STOP IT, IDIOT! Pull yourself together!_

 

Mentally slapping himself, again, Rocket at first didn’t notice Peter struggling to get up. That was until the other let out a loud groan. Chancing a glance back at Peter, he witnessed how the other’s arm gave out beneath his weight, causing him to slump back onto the ground. A whine of mock despair followed Peter's annoyed grunt as he was seemingly bound to stay on the dirty floor.

Rocket crossed his arms in front of his chest and smirked arrogantly, somewhat amused at the sight of an annoyed Peter lying helplessly on the floor, cursing at his tired body for letting him down. Literally.

 

“Need help, Star Dork?” he mocked.

The seething look and defiant “No!” that Peter shot his way made Rocket laugh at the other’s pitiful demise, and even more so when after a few more unsuccessful tries a quiet and reluctant “Yes” was uttered between ground teeth.

 

With another snort, the darker coloured racoon moved back over to him and helped him up by grasping the lighter paw offered up to him and pulling him up onto his feet. Fortunately, he was able to catch the other’s fall right after, as his legs and feet refused to do their work as well.

 

“Huh… think went a little too all out today. I’m sure going to have sore muscles tomorrow. I can’t even feel my legs right now!” Peter joked through a pained hiss that he sucked in through his teeth while trying to stand on his own.

 

Ears drooping, Rocket furrowed his brows in worry as he kept on holding on to Peter, instantly consumed by a new wave of guilt.

He should have been more careful with Peter! He was still not completely healed up. Thus, causing his body to hurt from pain if too much strain was put upon his bones. And here he is putting Peter through an exhausting two-hour training session.

 

Swallowing the heavy lump of pure shame clocking up his throat, Rocket asked the other, “Does it hurt a lot?”

 

Peter offered him a small reassuring smile, which did nothing to quench Rocket’s remorse.

“Nothing I am not used to,” he said with a hitched breath as he made a wrong move with his right shoulder.

 

Rocket’s frown deepened at that confession. But that’s exactly it! He shouldn’t be used to it at all!

 

But before Rocket could work himself up into another depressing mood, Peter steered him away from it by gently telling him, “It doesn’t hurt that way Rocky. We trained, it’s bound to hurt and get sore. How else am I going to build my muscles back? We just sliiightly overdid it today, and my body is protesting a little now. But after a day or two, the soreness will be gone, and we continue training.”

 

Rocket looked at him, still unsure if he really should belief Peter’s word of consolation, before sighing and nodding his head in doubtful acceptance.

 

Peter gave him an encouraging smile and a mock punch to try and lift the mood back up, “Come on, Rocky. I don’t like seeing you this down. You’re Rocket! Snarky, badass and sometimes mean-ol’-grumpy Rocket!” he kept mock punching him until Rocket rolled his eyes at his idiotic antics and slapped his hand away, albeit softly when it went in for another punch.

A snicker and a bat of black eyelashes framing those gorgeous blue eyes and Rocket’s frustration evaporated.

 

When Peter tried to move on his own again he nearly crumbled in again were it not for his hold on Rocket’s shoulder. Giving him a small sheepish smile the darker already knew what was coming next.

 

“Think you can help me to the bathroom, buddy?” he then asked.

 

And yep, there was the eye-batting again, Rocket swore on his favourite laser gun that Peter did it on purpose just so that he could mess with him.

Had he done that when he still used to be human too? Even if he did Rocket would have never taken notice of it as he refrained himself from looking at said human too long, and especially in those kinds of situations. It had been easier back then. Telling himself that… whatever he was feeling for the Terran outlaw would never be reciprocated. Peter would have never even considered it, with them being who they were.

But now, with Peter and him being of the same species, he found it from day to day more difficult not to look. It was agony on a whole different level! It meant that they could become… he was not sure yet what exactly he wanted them to be. Hell, he was not even sure yet if what he was feeling for the other male was love! He had never experienced that kind of romantic love, leaving him with nothing to draw back on.

But the sad reality still remained that Peter still and always would keep his Terran psyche and mindset. And no humanoid sentient had ever shown any kind of sexual or romantic type of interest in him.

So, why would Peter?

 

Letting out another deep and, purposely, exaggerated sigh, Rocket lend the blonde racoon his arm for the other to use as support. A thankful smile was gifted to him for his help and eager pearl white paws grasped for his arm in return.

 

And so, Rocket led a still shaky Peter out of the training room and towards the bathroom for a well-deserved shower.

Both were happily unaware of an amused Gamora having witnessed all of their interaction via the security cameras deployed all around the ship’s main rooms (except for the bathroom).

 

~~~***~~~

 

The bathroom was a pretty normal-sized room. It was also the only room where Gamora threatened the boys to always clean up after they had used it, knowing that they liked to let their things lying carelessly around on the floor. And that they were **not allowed** to use any of her or Mantis’ bath products.

And that’s why, after some more threatening from her, Rocket installed small cupboards for each of them, capable of storing all of their products individually.

 

Peter was leaning against the wall next to the shower as he turned the faucet on, still a little weak on his feet from before.

Rocket stood awkwardly behind him, worrying his hands and shooting not so subtle glances at the blonde, and not really knowing what he’s still doing here. Peter can handle the rest by himself. However, there remained this fraction of worry in the back of his head that told him to stay by the other’s side and make sure that he stayed safe.

Rocket blamed, and therefore, cursed his remaining animal instincts.

 

Though, he did turn his head and eyes away when Peter started to undress, shrugging off the racoon-sized replica of Peter’s burgundy Ravager uniform.

 

That one, the rest of the team had specifically tailored on the last planet they had been to. They wanted to give Peter some kind of joy after he realised that he couldn’t wear all his favourite clothes anymore. And, oh, did they succeed at making him happy. Crying out of happiness at their loving show of affection and care for him, Peter had hugged every single one of them for a whole of five minutes, before instantly trying it on.

That warm and pleasant feeling that had since that day back in the infirmary refused to leave his chest grew anew to a bright hot flame at the hug and at the sight of a happy blonde racoon dressed in a small red Ravager uniform, befitting him just as good as it did when he was still human.

 

And while Rocket had already seen Peter ‘naked’, there was still something sensual and erotic about watching a piece of cloth slowly sliding off of slender shoulders, revealing more and more of that enticingly fluffy neck, back and narrow waist. Rocket felt himself grow warm. And not only on his face.

Maybe that’s his cue to leave, and fast.

 

“Yeah, well, I’ll be going then. See if there’s anything to I need to fix,” he mumbled and made to turn around and exit the bathroom.

 

That is until a pair of strong paws grabbed his left hand and kept him in place. Damn, for being slightly smaller and leaner than him, Peter sure was strong. Those cybernetics might hold even more strength than he originally thought.

 

He looked back at Peter, a brow furrowed in confusion when he was met with a hard and serious expression instead of Peter’s trademark smile. His white furred brows were pulled into a deep frown and he did not at all look happy or amused. Rocket would have never thought that it would make him this uncomfortable to be the recipient of that stare. Like he did something wrong, though he did not know what.

 

“Rocket it’s nearly half past midnight. You have been working these last two weeks with nearly no sleep or rest at all” he reprimanded him.

 

That was true, but Peter didn’t have to know that. It had been a means of getting his mind off of Peter. Peter, _beautiful_ Peter, who looked like him, and who smelled so nice and alluring and felt so nice and right pressed up against his own body.

Thus, Rocket returned the frown and regarded the smaller male in confusion, acting as if he was not getting what he’s trying to say, “And? What’s your point? I always work this much. I’m used to it”

 

Peter snorted and uttered a soft disbelieving laugh, before addressing him again, “That’s a lie. Yes, you work a lot, but you also went to sleep at regular times. Don’t look at me like that,” Peter snorted again at the bewildered look that Rocket was expressing right now, “I’m your captain and I do notice such things. I’m not as oblivious as you think me to be. And these last two weeks you have been tinkering all around the ship with little to no rest. Soon, you'll start destroying stuff so that you can fix them again because there's nothing left to fix. And by the way, if you get to worry about me, I’ll get to do the same in return. And as your captain and friend, I say that you’re going to stop for today and go get some sleep. Hypocrite”

 

Rocket was genuinely shocked at Peter’s care and sudden exertion of his authoritarian power as his captain. It had never happened before, so sue him for actually being caught off guard. Again.

 

When Peter suddenly leaned his head closer to him and sniffed him, the only real thing Rocket could do was lean slightly back in return and let him. And then to his shame, the blonde curled his nose up in disgust.

 

“When was even the last time you took a shower? You smell. A lot”

 

Rocket opened his mouth to respond but closed it again right after, when he honestly couldn’t remember. The disgust on Peter’s face intensified, as did the shame in Rocket’s.

Though the wide and right-out devilish toothy grin that then replaced the unflattering twisted features on Peter's otherwise pretty face, let a cold shudder run down Rocket’s back, already knowing what Peter had planned.

 

“No. I’m warning you. Don’t you even dare to-!!” Rocket warned, only to be ignored as Peter practically threw himself at the darker.

What followed was a wild scramble around the floor, with Rocket trying to wriggle himself out of Peter’s strong grip and run away, and with Peter holding a tight grip on him and trying to undress him.

“Damnit, quit it you flarkin’ piece of shit!”

 

Ten minutes later, found Rocket sitting on the floor of the shower, under the soft, warm spray of water. His back was turned to Peter, arms folded angrily across his chest, and shoulders raised high. It was a wonder that the wall he was glaring at didn’t have a hole in it yet. He wasn’t moping. Shut up! He was not!

Peter meanwhile was standing behind him with a self-satisfactory and a thrilled smile on his face, letting himself relax under the warm water.

 

Rocket heard him grab for the shampoo bottle, the one that fortunately didn’t smell like pathetic flowers or like the earlier mentioned stinking Xandarian fragrance shops, but the one that smelled more like a forest during a cold autumn morning. It was his favourite scent on the other male, and Peter knew that too as Rocket had commented on it sideways a few months back. After that, the other man had used it more often, though neither had brought it up again.

 

The sensation of two paws settling on top of his head pulled him out of his musings and made him tense up. Peter must have seen as well as felt it but did not pull away. He must either be really brave or stupid to touch him like that without permission. And Peter is both.

But to his own surprise Rocket did not pull away or snap at him for touching him.

 

No, what he did was to usher a soft and unsure, “What are you doing, Quill?”

 

Taking it as a free pass to continue, Peter slowly lowered himself to his knees and carefully started massaging the shampoo into the dark fur.

He then started explaining himself, “Well, to my defence, you never looked like you actually used any kind of shampoo or soap while showering-“ he ignored his lowly grumbled ‘’Cause I don’t need it’ and continued, “You’ll feel a whole lot better after, I promise!”

Rocket grumbled unintelligibly beneath his breath but let Peter continue his ministrations. To this, Peter grinned in triumph behind his back.

 

After a while of feeling hands run over his head, Rocket allowed his body to relax, realising that Peter wasn’t hurting him. He even closed his eyes at the incredible feeling of Peter’s paws massaging his scalp and by extension his ears and neck. And when he started to lean his head into the other’s hands, he would play it off as his animal instincts taking over. It was a half-truth.

Fortunately, Peter didn’t comment on it and just kept on soaping him up.

 

When Peter suddenly stopped his heavenly massage, Rocket needed a few seconds to focus back on where there are, and noting how Peter’s paws had wandered to just above the implant situated in between his shoulder blades, halting and refusing to continue until Rocket gave his approval.

He tensed a little again, shame and discomfort returning to him in an instant as he had forgotten entirely about the monstrosities on his back. He hated feeling this self-conscious about his implants and scars.

 

Peter pulled his hands back, not wanting to make the other feel more uncomfortable than he already did.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t. But if it would help, I would let you do my back in return” Peter tried to ease the tension.

 

Rocket turned his head a little, showing him that he was considering what Peter suggested. Should he really let Peter touch his back? He had never let anyone touch him without his permission, let alone his back, and if they did, then they had found themselves ending up with a few appendages less.

But Peter… he had always had that calming effect on him. Lowering down his walls, without him noticing at first until it was already too late. And they had come so far over those last few weeks, even months before the incident. If there was one person who he could trust enough to let them this close to him, then it was Peter. Aside from Groot, that is.

So, with a heavy nod, Rocket signalled Peter that he was allowed to continue.

 

Peter blinked in shocked surprise, not having thought that Rocket would actually let him. With a soft smile now adorning his lips, Peter grabbed the shampoo bottle again and put some more on his hands, before handing it forwards to Rocket. Rocket took it wordlessly, and at first, only worried it between his paws to try and calm himself down when he felt Peter’s hands on his back.

Soft, and warm and carefully shy, nearly loving, if that was how it felt like.

Rocket hoped it was.

Peter’s paws were especially mindful around the implants, not wanting to risk hurting him. But they were still strong enough to knead the knots right out of his tense muscles. For the first time in years, Rocket completely forgot about the pain cursing beneath his skin, in his bones, in the back of his head, and let himself just succumb to this liberating feeling of peace.

 

Feeling relaxed like never before, Rocket started shampooing his front and tail, while Peter did his back.

Peter started humming again, filling the comfortable silence between them with the melody of Elvin Bishop’s ‘Fooled Around and Fell in Love’. That pleasant feeling ran down Rocket’s back again, flaring up with every touch from Peter on his body. He couldn’t suppress the twitch upwards at the corners of his lips.

 

With a last scratch behind Rocket’s ears, Peter finished his small self-attributed task and stood back up again, swerving a little on the spot after having kneeled for so long, and with him still feeling a bit weak in the knees, “There. All done. Now it’s your turn.”

 

Rocket copied his motion, stood up, bottle in hand, and turned around to face Peter’s smile. Peter snickered as he eyed him before reaching for his face and cupping his cheeks, massaging the left-over shampoo into his fur there. He even dared to twist them so far up that Rocket was showing a grimace of a smile. Rocket stood perfectly still, just letting Peter do as he wished. He still gave the other male a sharp and exasperated look to which the blonde only let out another infuriating snicker.

Once satisfied, Peter shot Rocket one last grin before turning around and offering him his back.

 

Rocket hesitated for a moment, not really trusting himself to put his paws on Peter in such an intimate manner. He didn’t want to do something stupid like his instincts urged him to do. Shoving those urges as far back as possible, Rocket steeled himself and started to return the favour.

Peter either didn’t seem to notice or chose to ignore the stiffness with which Rocket’s hands soaped up his shoulders. No instead he tilted his head up towards the soft stream of the shower water and let it sprinkle and run down his face, smiling contently.

 

Rocket was momentarily struck by the beautiful image in front of him, his breath leaving his body for a few seconds, before he forcefully sucked in another shaky breath. His fingers flexed against the bend where Peter’s neck met his shoulders, before squeezing a little tighter as frustration towards Peter burned his insides up.

It just wasn’t fair, god damnit! How come that when both of them were drenched in water, that Quill still managed to look that mother-fucking beautiful, while Rocket himself looked like a depressed mop used to clean shit-holes?!

Just- just look at him! His light-coloured fur, now a shade darker, was clinging to his lean and fit body in just the right places. It defined his stature so that Rocket could see that his frame also held some curves, which his fluffy fur had, until to this point, kept from his eager eyes.

 

But most of all, he was frustrated with himself for finding said image so damn attractive in the first place. He shouldn’t. **_He couldn’t!_**

However, his animal instincts made it so damn hard to resist, to not just pull Peter’s slightly smaller body against his and nuzzle his face against that fluffy and delectable neck, scenting and marking him up as his, and then turn him around and claim his mouth in a kiss.

 

Fortunately, Peter was blissfully unaware of the sexual crisis Rocket was currently having behind his back, not noticing how Rocket was not trying to claw his brains out while pulling his face into a constipated expression, trying to keep himself from doing something he would regret later on.

No, he just kept on humming his little happy melody and leaning into Rocket’s paws that squeezed him in just the right spots, while starting to soap up his front.

 

_Take a deep breath, Rocket. You don’t want there to be an… accident. Just finish this up real fast, and you can get out._

So, he started working on Peter's back, being especially careful with the freshly healed skin around his implants. Close up, those cybernetic implants resembled like a metallic and much thinner replica of a spine. Metallic vertebrae-like plates linked into one another, allowing him to bend and twist without a problem. It was quite ingenious how life-like they looked and worked.

 

“You alright back there, Rocky?” piped Peter up suddenly, sounding highly amused.

Once again, pulled from his train of thoughts, Rocket could only offer an intelligent, “Huh?”

 

Peter chuckle and shot him flirty smile over his shoulder, purring sweetly, “You got quite the grip there, tiger. You got something in mind with me?”

 

Face heating up at Peter’s flirtatious words, Rocket’s gaze snapped down to where his paws clutched Peter’s hips, keeping him still and in place. He jerked away as if burnt, and he as well might had been with the searing heat that was travelling up to his face.

 

He sputtered unintelligibly at the other for a few short moments, until he finally managed to spat, “Shut it, you flarkin’ idiot! It- it wasn’t like that! I w-was just checking over your implants!”

 

Peter was at that point laughing at him outright. Bend over in his hysterics, one hand held over his stomach and the other slapping his knee. “Your face! Ahahaha! And- and your voice! You’re just too easy, dude!”

 

Rocket snarled at him, furious at being made the fool. He wanted to wring the other’s neck! Forget his attraction! The only reason why he wanted to get his hands on Peter at this moment, was so that he could skin him and strangle him with his own shiny fur! Peter waved his anger off, and that made Rocket all the angrier. He hated it when he wasn’t taken seriously. The blonde was getting a little too self-assured and careless around his temper, believing that the darker racoon wouldn’t hurt him.

Well, it was going to be his downfall today. Rocket had enough with all of this! With feeling lost and confused! With being made fun of! With feeling this way towards this complete idiot!

 

But before he could actually get his paws on the other male, Peter already pulled him close by the face, and started stroking him behind the ears. It’s as if a switch had been flipped. His fury just dripped from his mind as the water did from his fur. What the hell was going on? Why did it feel so good when Peter did that?! Had his ears always been this sensitive?

 

Peter grinned at him, “See, everything is so much better when you just calm down and relax for once. And now you even smell good.”

 

Rocket answered with a half-hearted glare, making the blonde snort. Straightening himself, Peter smiled at Rocket before leaving him standing alone under the shower. Rocket watched him, really when wasn’t he at this point.

 

And Rocket had to literally bite his tongue to not let out the wanton whimper, that nearly escaped from his lips, at what he observed next.

Because in an attempt to dry himself faster, Peter made that cliché move of shaking himself to get rid of the water.

And Rocket swore to every fucking god that time really did seem to slow down - and was that slow erotic music playing in the background? - as he watched the blonde shake out the excess water from his glossy fur. Starting with his head and moving down his frame, wit water droplets flying away from him like small light crystals with each delectable swing of his body.

Rocket was downright gaping and salivating at the sight in front of him, not that his drooling was noticeable with how he’s still standing beneath the running water. Fortunately.

 

Having finished his little private show with a last flick of his tail and ear, Peter turned to a still very much drenched Rocket, who was still silently staring at him and grinned at the darker male.

Grabbing a towel from the rag, he turned towards the door and left with a small wave and an amused, “See you, tomorrow Rocky” thrown over his shoulder.

 

Rocket stood for another few moments under the still running shower, before groaning loudly to the heavens and clawing his paws over his eyes.

He turned around and started hitting his head against the metal wall of the shower, “Shit. Fuck. Why? Why me? Why him? Why does he act like that if he doesn’t-?” he asked the emptiness of the bathroom in despair.

Hitting his head one last time against the wall before stilling, Rocket sighed a heavy breath before finally allowing to resign to his true feelings. He can’t lie any longer to himself anymore.

 

He’s in love…. with Peter Quill.

 

“I’m so screwed.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And did I get you? 
> 
> The beginning was intended to make you think that they were doing the horizontal tango, but that's not until later. I'm thinking about making a bonus chapter, or epilogue, of them just having sex, so those who want to read it can and the others who don't can be just as happy with the official ending. 
> 
> Also, the songs I'm referencing are mostly from the Awesome Mix Vol.1 (from the first movie) as I like those better. In fact, I had been listening to the whole soundtrack and the song 'Fooled Around and Fell in Love' started playing when I wrote the shower scene. 
> 
> That aside, I hope you liked it.  
> See you for the next chapter~!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaaa~  
> I managed to finish Chapter 5 faster than I initially thought.
> 
> This chapter is a little different from the other’s but you’ll find out why, soon enough. The angst returns, but there’s still a lot of fluff in this one.
> 
> IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION  
> Heed the tags because I have updated them as well. So, make sure if there’s anything that doesn’t float boat. 
> 
> (I would have posted this chapter yesterday, but my laptop suddenly decided to give up on me and die right before my first class of the day. Thank god for iCloud or I wouldn’t have been able to upload this chapter for a few more days. And now here I am, with a poorly edited chapter. So, because of these technical problems I apologise in advance for any grammar errors, weird structure, etc. (I’ll try to properly edit it as soon as I get my laptop back.))

_A sharp knife tore into his already beaten and bruised body. Through severely cut and, in places, missing skin; through ruptured and burning muscles; through already broken and splintered bones, deep into soft and already damaged organs._

_He screamed._

_But the only thing that managed to escape his mouth was a hoarse and choked breath for help._

 

_“Scream as much as you want, little Star. No one is here to rescue you. You’re all alone” sneered the hissing voice of the alien above him._

_The one that had stabbed the knife through his right lung. His deformed face was twisted into a manic grin, showing rows of sharp, shark-like teeth, dripping with green slimy saliva. His hazy and milky orange eyes leering down at him in wicked and feverish delight._

 

_He had seen many ugly and nightmarish looking aliens, some delivered a far more horrifying sight than this guy and his companions. But never had he been more afraid than finding himself trapped beneath this man’s keen and sick gaze, bound to the ice cold metal table as he is._

_His body shook, not only from the fear that consumed him, but also from the unbearable pain that currently set his nerves on fire. Both sensations ruling as one over his mind and body, not allowing him think of anything else, to try and distract himself with stray thoughts and distant memories._

 

_The alien above leaned closer, his smirk widening evermore so and literally cracking his face in two, and whispered almost lovingly into his bleeding ear, “And it has only begun, my dear project.”_

 

_And then he snapped his hand, still holding the knife plunged deep into his chest, down, cleaving his gut open and spilling blood and his innards._

 

_His screams went unheard._

 

~~~***~~~

 

Peter jerked awake with a loud gasp, hands clutched tightly over his chest and stomach. His fur was damp and sweaty, his chest heaving uncontrollably as he sucked in short breaths. He was shaking all over, his muscles trembling from the adrenaline that was shooting through his body.

His clouded eyes searched feverishly around the ship for any possible threat, for any of those shady silhouettes his dreams had conjured up from his memories. But the only thing surrounding him was the darkness of the ship’s night mode and the soft snores from Rocket lying in his bed, opposite of Peter‘s own bed. But he still felt as if the dark shadows of the night were creeping up on him, trying to swallow him up in their endless and cruel void and refusing to let him go.

He whimpered into the darkness and clutched his head. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as his head started to hurt from the stress of his nightmare.

 

With tears threatening to spill from his burning eyes, he whimpered into the darkness and clutched at his head when it started to hurt from all the stress of his nightmares, from his memories and from his modified neurons.

He curled up into a ball, face tucked into his knees as he tried to calm down, suppressing his sobs and tears. Forcing himself to just forget.

But, how could he?

For every time he looked into a mirror he was faced with the painful truth of his nightmares.

 

It hurt. Everything hurt. His body. His head. His very soul.

Caged in a body that was never supposed to be his. A body that had been built and constructed to fit **their** ideals. Programmed to obey them. Constructed to do their bidding. And forced to suffer their torture in silence.

 

Uncurling from his protective position on his bed as it did not help him at all to calm him down, Peter started hitting the mattress beneath his small body in a meagre attempt to relieve himself from some of the stress and frustration. When that didn’t help either, he, in a fit of desperation, slashed his claws through one of his pillows.

The white stuffing exploded out and spilt across his bed. But that specific imagery only helped him in reminding him of his nightmare all the more so.

 

He stood up from his bed, as silently as possible so as to not wake up Rocket, and made his way to the small kitchen area. He was parched and needed some water.

Once he got and swallowed his glass of water, Peter leaned against the fridge, thumping his head against its cool door and closing his eyes, he just allowed himself.... to breath. In, and out. Trying to rearrange his thoughts and ban those god-awful memories from his mind and calm himself down.

It took a few moments of focused breathing but after a while, he did manage to calm himself down a notch. His heart wasn’t pounding anymore and his headache had lessened.

 

He opened his eyes again and looked up to the next window, taking his time to just stargaze and observe the vast expanse of the endless universe stretched out around them.

He sometimes forgot how beautiful the galaxy could be. A trillion stars littered all around and colourful nebulas painting the pitch-black canvas in an explosion of beautiful light.

The galaxy was a dangerous beauty. His first true love which he discovered when he was still a child, sitting on his mother’s lap as they tried to count as many stars as possible.

 

He had always been attracted to dangerous things. The deadly galaxy, fierce women, forbidden treasures.... - his gaze shifted from the window over to the racoon still fast asleep on his bed, spread-eagled and snoring softly - ....and for a while now, a certain temperamental and trigger-happy Procyon.

 

He sighed and made his way back to his bed. But before he could jump back into it, a sense of unease and loneliness consumed him. That nightmare had been the worst one so far. And he was surely not going back to sleep so fast.

He remembered how, when he was still little, he used to sneak into his mother’s bed who then cuddled him close, telling him that she would always protect him from the monsters hiding beneath his bed and in his closet. After her death, it had been Yondu who took over that responsibility when the small and young human had nightmares about his mother’s death or of strange and terrifying aliens gobbling him up.

Peter was eternally glad because even if Yondu was an asshole most of the time, he was still the best damn dad he could have ever asked for.

 

He wished he had someone now.

The fleeting thought of going to Gamora entered his mind but he dropped it right after. He still felt a little awkward around her after they decided to just remain friends. He loved her, a lot. She was amazing and beautiful and one, if not, the most independent and strongest woman in the whole galaxy.

So, it came to quite a shock to him that his love for her didn’t turn out to be the one only reserved for lovers. He just couldn’t be with her like that.

Gamora told him she understood, though Peter was sure she had been hurting at that time. He did lead her on just so that he could tell her he didn’t love her like that. He had felt ashamed at himself, still did. He had not meant to lie to her, to hurt her. He hadn't even realised until he had been ready to tell her how much he loved her.

They had not yet talked about it in a serious conversation. With everything that had been going on in these past few weeks, they just needed some time to cool off. But Peter really did want things to return back to how they used to be between the two of them, just with less romantic flirting.

At that moment he told himself that he would talk to her on the next best chance he got to be alone with her. Until then he chose to keep his distance.

 

However, that still didn’t solve his insomnia problem.

Breathing in, Peter turned around to look at his bunkmate and best friend, still lying in the same position as he found him upon waking up.

Well, he could try, couldn’t he? After his transformation Rocket had become more... softer and careful around him. And if the darker did start to yell and protest at him for lying next to him in bed, then he knew just the spot to give a good scratch to calm the other down.

 

Grinning softly, Peter went over and slowly and very carefully, so as to not wake the other up, slinked his way beneath the sheets. At first, he kept a little space between them and tried to relax. When it still wasn’t enough for him to rest peacefully, he inched closer and closer and closer, until there remained only an inch or two between them.

Finally, he was close enough to feel the warmth of Rocket’s body enveloping him.

But he still didn’t feel like sleeping with the left-over adrenaline still keeping him wide-awake. So, he took that time to study Rocket’s peaceful face. His cute white brows, dark brown, nearly black bandit mask, puffy cheek fur and cute little ears.

His rose-brown nose twitched when a familiar scent reached him, making him smile. It had been a week since their shared shower, but apparently, Rocket took his words to heart and returned back to a regular sleeping schedule and showered more often. With his shampoo. He’s not angry at him for taking his shampoo, not when it smelled this good on him. Real handsome.

Just like the man himself.

 

Even before his transformation, he had always found Rocket’s rough and brutish exterior kind of appealing. His deep and raspy voice was very pleasant to listen to, and more often than not amusing when he got aggravated and threw in one slur and insult after another. At least, if it wasn’t directed at him. Then again, he could never resist riling him up just for the whole heck of it.

 

He drew Peter in like a moth to the flame, making him want to spend more time with the hot-headed Procyon and learn as much as possible from him.

Rocket could be dangerous at the best of times (and completely insane at the worst). And as he had already established, Peter liked dangerous and attractive people.

So when he got turned into a racoon, all of these feelings intensified as his already existing attraction to Rocket fused with the mating instincts that came with being a wild animal. And it made him notice even more things about Rocket than he did as a human, like his strong and fit body, perfect to fight and protect, his fiery copper eyes that pierced him with their intensity and his appealing natural musky scent.

 

It should be weird, and straight up unorthodox, for him, as a human, to feel attracted to a racoon of all things. It would be straight up bestiality. But considering that he spent more than half of his life cruising with space pirates through the galaxy than staying on Earth, one cannot fault him for not sharing the same values and standards as his earth-bound brethren.

As such, and with Terrans being really scarce in space, Peter became _very_ open-minded about his partners’ species. Hell, he even dated an A’askvariian.

A racoon would still be considered normal next to some of his other former partners.

 

And Rocket was so much more than just his outer appearance. Over time, Peter came to see him as the man he was. Smarter than anyone he ever knew, courageous and not afraid of anything that stood in his way, and loyal and caring to a fault, even if he didn’t know how to show it most of the time.

And honestly, sometimes Rocket was more humane than some of those other humanoid aliens who saw themselves above him. Just because Rocket looked like a dumb animal to them.

But one just had to look deeper, beneath his furry coat and behind his rough personality. Like when how he was with Baby Groot, caring and doting on his sapling child like any real father would with their child. Or how selfless and sacrificing he tended to be in the worst kind of moments.

 

Rocket was a good friend and a good **man**. Peter just hoped he could be **_more_**.

 

With one last loving look at Rocket’s sleeping face, Peter fell asleep with a small, soft smile on his face. Soaking in the warmth of the other man’s body.

Peter did not realise it but a few moments after he fell into a deep and, finally, restful sleep, he slid closer to Rocket, tugging his head closer to the other’s, his rose-brown nose pressed into the soft fur of a dark-furred neck.

 

\----------

 

Rocket jolted awake upon the soft touch, tensing his body as he tried to regain his bearings and try to make out what was touching him. Looking down, Rocket blinked the last of the sleepy haze from his eyes and looked confusedly down at the other man who was neatly cuddled up to him.

 

How, and more importantly why, did Peter get into his bed? He should have noticed him getting on the bed! He blamed himself on getting too used, too relaxed, while sleeping because he got too used to Groot’s regular habit of slipping into his bed and sleeping next or on top of him.

It just became second nature to feel the soft dip on the mattress that he didn’t realise that the weight on his bed wasn’t Groot’s at all. Only when Peter’s soft and fuzzy head had nuzzled itself into his neck did he wake up from his heavy doze.

Well, that would answer how, but not as to why Peter decided that he wanted to bunk with him tonight.

 

He shot a look around the room. They were still alone. Peter’s bed was vacated and sheets rumbled and thrown off to one side. (And was that the stuffing from his pillow?) He listened or smelled for anything suspicious or something that could indicate as to why he got the honours of having the other all cuddled up to him. But there was nothing. No unnatural noises and smells. So, sickness and drunkenness were out of the question.

That made him relax a little.

Just a little.

 

He twitched when the blonde male next to him gave a soft and happy sigh, moving even closer to him and rubbing his head softly against Rocket’s neck and chest, adjusting it into a more comfortable position, securely tugged underneath his chin. He looked so content and peaceful.

Rocket softened up at that cute picture.

 

He then huffed, still not really believing what was happening right now. But, he was certainly not complaining.

He relaxed and laid back down. He decided to just ignore it for now and relish in the feeling of having the warm body of the beautiful male pressed up against his, like a perfectly fitting puzzle piece. A man gotta take his chances, especially if the other party was as willing to cuddle together in bed as Peter was.

He decided he would question Peter much later in the morning.

 

Closing his eyes, Rocket settled back to sleep.

Never had he fallen as quickly and as deep into a good night of sleep as that night.

All cuddled up with Peter.

 

~~~***~~~

 

When Rocket stirred from his sleep it was only a few minutes before the Milano would change back into its day-cycle. Yeah, he was one of those people who liked to wake up before their alarm clock and get a head start on things. And he would have gotten up and gone about his normal routine weren’t it for the warm body lying half on top of him.

 

Looking down he was met with Peter’s still peacefully sleeping face. Over the night they had gotten even more entangled. Peter had one arm thrown over Rocket’s midsection his legs bracketing one of his in between them, and his head resting on top of his chest.

But Peter wasn’t the only one guilty for their entanglement either. Rocket had his arms wrapped around the other man as well, one around his waist and the other over Peter’s arm resting over his chest. And he had nuzzled his face into the soft scruff of Peter’s fluffy neck.

If they had been coloured the same way one would find it hard to tell where one’s body ends and the other’s started.

They were like a furry pretzel.

 

But…. Ahhhhh he really couldn’t find the will to complain and push the other rudely off of him. Falling asleep with someone sleeping right next to him had already felt great, but waking up like this was ten times better.

It was nothing like having Groot sleeping next to him. He loved Groot, he really did! He would kill and sacrifice himself for the little guy in an instant before watching him die for a second time in front of him. And he loved having Groot sleep with him.

But Groot…. He wasn’t as warm as Peter. Wasn't as soft. He didn’t fit as perfectly in his arms as the blonde did.

With Peter it just felt…. _right_. And he wished the morning would come just a few minutes later so that he could savour this moment for a little longer; holding Peter close to him and pretending that they were more.

 

For when Peter woke up, he had to go back to pretending that he didn’t like the other man. Pretending that he did not want the other by his side like this.

 

And as if right on cue, the lights of the Milano started to turn on when the pre-set morning time rolled around. Rocket sighed in aggravation, silently cursing the clock. Maybe he should set it a few minutes later for the next time! …. And what is he even thinking about?! Of course, there won’t be a next time.

….Unfortunately.

 

When Peter started to stir and groan in protest of the bright light shining right into his eyes, Rocket focused right back on him. He blushed and kept perfectly still when the other tried to hide his face from the irritating glare of the light by wedging his head in between his neck and shoulder and the mattress. Peter gave another huff in annoyance at being bothered in his sleep.

Rocket shivered when the soft breath from Peter’s nose tickled him in a sensitive spot. He could also nearly feel the huge determination with which Peter tried to remain asleep and not get up.

It was kind of cute.

 

“Get up, stupid sleepy-head. You are already awake. No use to keep on trying” he mumbled and squeezed Peter’s side. He got a mouthful of a fluffy white ear for his troubles, as they suddenly straightened up at Rocket’s words.

He nearly let out a strangled sound when Peter wriggled his head out from underneath him, tickling him some more in the process.

Once tugged free, Peter looked at him with squinted eyes, obviously still tired and disgruntled at being kept from sweet slumber.

 

“Shut up” he grumbled and let his head flop back on Rocket’s furry chest. Rocket snorted and rolled his eyes and squeezed his side again. Peter retaliated with a weak slap to his snout, without even lifting his head or opening his eyes. He missed.

“What are you even doing in my bed in the first place?” Rocket finally asked. He was dying to know why.

 

But instead of answering, Peter turned his head only further away, refusing to look at him.

“No reason….” he muttered in the end.

 

Rocket frowned. That was a lie. He hated when someone was lying to him, most of all Peter. He needed to know what was going on so that he could try to turn Peter back to his former chipper self. With that last thought in mind, Rocket acted without thinking any further about how he should actually go about achieving this goal.

So, before Peter could react - truly he was still too sleepy to fully process what was happening until it was too late - Rocket had him trapped under him, glaring down at the blonde with a serious expression.

 

“Stop messing around with me, Quill” he snarled, though not nearly as vehemently as he would in any other situation, “ _’No reason’_ , fuck it! Something is wrong and you are going to tell me!”

 

Peter glared back, now fully awake, and tried pushing Rocket off of him.

“There really wasn’t! Now stop being an ass and let me go!” he hissed, fighting against his grip.

 

Rocket fought back to keep the other male in place, barely managing to as Peter got stronger and stronger by the day. Finally, he managed to hold the blonde with a tight grip on his wrist down on the mattress. Not realising that it was probably a little too tight.

 

Seeing that he had no other option Peter relented. Partially.

“Alright! Alright! I-I couldn’t sleep and wanted someone lying beside me. There you have it. Now let me got! You’re hurting me.”

 

And Rocket did, jerking back from him as if he had burnt the other. He silently watched how Peter scurried away from underneath him and off the bed, shooting him one last glare over his shoulder before disappearing into the back of the ship.

 

When Peter was fully gone, Rocket groaned and flopped down onto his back, dragging his paws over his eyes, “Well done, Rocket. Couldn’t have handled this situation any better, could you?”

 

He was an amazing tactician, for fuck's sake. The best in the whole galaxy. He would never go in blindly into a mission, except the situation absolutely asked for it. But apparently, this exceptional skill-set decided not to show up and apply itself when he tried to show his feeling and concerns for his teammates.

 

“You are a flarkin’ idiot, Rocket”

 

\----------

 

Peter was stilled pissed at Rocket much later in the day. Rocket didn’t have to be so rude back there. Peter may be nosy, but he at least respected when others didn’t want to talk about something. ….Well, most of the time.

 

“I am Groot?” piped up Groot, who was currently in between his spread legs, gnawing on some granular fertilizer while watching Peter calibrate his blasters.

He was the only one of the team who dared approach the quarrelling rodents, the rest of the team had retreated to another corner and let the pair resolve this on their own. Or more like, Gamora forced Drax into moving his unnecessary-and-too-honest-insensitive-ass to the training room, threatening him not to mess this quarrel up even more so as it already was, while simultaneously dragging Mantis behind her.

 

“Yes, I am still mad at your father. That’s why I’m here, sitting on top of the kitchen table, far away from Rocket’s workshop. And so far, I have managed not to see him all day” responded the older in a huff, twisting his wrench to the right a little too hard.

 

“I am Groot?”

 

“No, the team is not breaking up. And of course I still love you, Groot. This fight will not change that, and it never will change. But I am acting this way because he was an insensitive ass. Forcing me to admit something I didn’t want to say in the first place,” he grumbled and pulled the trigger of his unloaded blasters, testing its response time.

 

“I am Groot” clarified Groot and looked up at his second father-figure with wide brown eyes.

 

Peter halted, looking off to the side with a pout, trying his best to stay peeved at the other resident racoon, “I know that it’s his way to show that he cares…. Still hadn’t to be so forceful…”

 

“I am…. Groot”

 

Peter looked at the small sapling with a weirdly amused smile, “You’re pretty wise for your age, buddy”

Groot only gave a slow blink in response. Peter gave him a loving pat on the head. Just for being this cute.

 

“He’s right…” came a deep, tentative voice from below.

 

Peter and Groot looked down to see Rocket standing two feet away from them, eyes diverted to the ground, scuffing his feet across the floor and holding his hands behind his back.

Peter scowled at him, although his ears curiously straightening up betrayed his interest in what Rocket had to say. Groot took to look between his two fluffy fathers as if it were a tennis match.

Rocket sighed, obviously aggravated at being put in this awkward situation, but Peter couldn’t find the sympathy to feel bad for him…. Not yet.

First, he wanted to hear an apology.

 

“What did you say?” Peter asked, just to be a jerk in return for this morning.

 

Rocket shot him a disgruntled glare and Peter held his gaze, grinning internally at having the power to make the tough and stoic Rocket Racoon _squirm_ on the spot.

Maybe he was getting a little overboard with this….. Nah.

 

Rocket rolled his eyes and made to answer him, “I said… that Groot is right… about what he said... about me”

Peter set his blaster aside and leaned forward, steepling his fingers and resting his elbows on his knees. His tail was slowly thumping on the table, not unlike that of an intrigued cat.

“Keep talking. I’m listening.”

 

A sigh and the baring of teeth was the immediate response to Peter’s demand, to which the blonde only pursed his lips in sadistic amusement.

 

“I am sorry, ‘bout this morning. I was too forceful…. And I only realised that after. I’m not good at feelings, Quill, and ya know that too. I was only that aggressive because I was…. worried. But I shouldn’t have pressured you into telling me somethin’ ya didn’t want to admit. I know that now,” started Rocket explaining, diverting his gaze again. He was clearly uncomfortable about opening up this much in front of him.

Peter relaxed his posture as guilt slowly started to settle in his chest. Maybe he had been a little too hard on the other man.

 

“Truth is… I don’t like ta see ya so down. Ya’re Peter Quill, our dorky captain. Ya should be chipper and dancing around the ship like the stupid but still funny dork you are. And not be all depressed,” Rocket admitted and looked up into Peter’s blue eyes which gazed at him with a compassionate expression.

 

Peter slid down from the table and stood in front of the regretful man, who still looked deeply sorry for what happened that morning. This was the first time that Peter saw him look that honestly sorry about something. And that made him smile, the first real one for that day.

He cupped Rocket’s face, wanting the other man to look at him. Which the darker did instantly. Fiery copper meeting sky blue.

 

“Well, I am sorry too. For avoiding you for the whole day and being such a jerk to you, even though you only tried to be nice and help me,” contributed Peter to the confession time, offering the other a reassuring smile.

Rocket smiled back.

 

Peter couldn’t stop looking at Rocket's smile and into his eyes. The darker really had pretty eyes. He had these red and golden specks in them, giving them a sparkling sheen. Peter liked sparkly things.

Completely oblivious to the world around them, both racoons kept holding each other’s gaze, smiling at each other. Peter was still cupping Rocket’s face and softly stroking his cheekbones.

 

“I am Groot,” announced Groot, also wanting to contribute to the conversation, and effectively startled the two and ruined the little moment they had just shared between each other.

 

Both Rocket and Peter looked at the sapling, who was still sitting on the table nibbling on his granular fertilizer, greatly disturbed at what he had just said.

“What do you mean, you’re not sorry about what you did in Drax’s room?” asked Rocket with great confusion.

Groot only shrugged in response.

 

Peter blinked and looked at Rocket in hope of getting a possible answer, but said dark racoon looked just as lost for words as him.

“Maybe we should just let Drax handle this one,” he proposed and Rocket nodded slowly in agreement, sceptically side-eyeing his cryptic son.

 

Peter snickered at how the taller male looked at the child with such a distrustful and simultaneously inquisitive and weirded out expression.

Rocket returned his attention back to Peter at his snicker. Shaking his head as if trying to get rid of his current disturbed thoughts on what Groot may have done, Rocket seemingly grew nervous again.

Ears folding forward in confused curiosity, Peter cocked his head to the side, interested in what could have brought this change in mood upon.

 

“Actually, there is something I wanted to give you….” admitted Rocket and brought his paws, which he had been holding behind his back this whole time, in front of him and presenting what he had been holding on to.

 

Looking down at the object presented to him, Peter could do nothing more but gasp and gape in amazement.

It was Peter’s Zune and headphones. Only that his headphones had been altered so that the ear-pieces would be kept in place by a bent piece of metal and plastic that would wrap around his ears. He had been quite cranky and sad about not being able to properly hear his music from his Zune anymore thanks to the headphones always falling out. And sticking them further in hurt too much.

But here Rocket was, having altered it to specifically fit for his ears.

Peter took them silently, speechless and positively surprised. He looked up at Rocket, who, by now, looked slightly embarrassed. The fur on the back of his neck and cheeks stood slightly on ends, betraying his flustered state.

 

Peter opened his mouth to thank the other male, but Rocket kept on talking, “I had been working on this for some time now. I amplified the capacity of your Zune. And I even added some more music, namely all the ones that had been on those music tapes that you lost during our fight against your asshole of a dad. And some other ones. Some good songs for once”

 

Peter held the device close to his chest and couldn’t help the warm bubbly feeling welling up in his chest at Rocket’s thoughtful gift. All anger at the other male for this morning had long since dissipated, and what was left was pure adoration and happiness.

He pulled Rocket into a close hug, knowing that the other guy loved them, even if he claimed otherwise. He wanted to kiss him for this sweet act of kindness, as he was nearly overflowing with the amount of giddiness and love he felt for the other at this very moment.

And so, he did. But, only on the cheek.

Rocket froze, not having expected that specific kind of reaction from him.

 

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best, Rocky! I’m going to check it out right now!” he laughed in excitement.

And without waiting another moment he put the headphones on - they fit perfectly - and started up the music.

 

The beat and sound of the music were amazing, even better than his previous pair of headphones. He felt like he could feel the music flowing through his veins, urging him to dance and sing along to it.

And so, he did.

Lost in his own world, he completely forgot about Rocket, who watched him sing and dance to ‘Piña Colada’ and ‘Come And Get Your Love’ with a small besotted smile.

 

But Groot noticed, still perched atop the table and now reaching for another granular fertilizer. Seriously, his two fathers should just kiss.

Because they are so much better when they were _together_.

 

~~~***~~~

 

That night, when Peter went to bed, he hesitated.

Everything was alright again between him and Rocket, but he still wasn’t sure he if he should risk slipping into the other’s bed again. He glanced wistfully at the already sleeping Rocket.

He did sleep so well, enveloped in those strong, protective arms and nuzzled against his soft fur, his musky scent calming him down like nothing else had for a long time. Not since his mother had died. And Rocket had not looked angry or opposed to him sleeping in his bed.

He took a step towards the other.

 

But… after today….

After witnessing how much he had troubled the other man by seeming so off…. He didn’t want to burden him any more than he absolutely had to.

He halted, hesitating before turning back around with his shoulders dropping low in sadness.

 

Dejected but having made up his mind, Peter climbed into his bed and laid down. He sighed, loud and deep as he was not really happy with what he thought he had to do. But, it was for the best…

Wrapping himself into a cocoon with his blanket, Peter tried to will himself to fall asleep. But every time he closed his eyes, his nightmare, _his memories_ , from the night before returned to the front of his mind and his eyes snapped back open.

He sighed and looked at the wall in front of him, unseeing, as he was too focused on repressing his memories.

 

So focused in fact, that he did not hear the movement coming from behind him until a same-sized body laid down next to him.

It was Peter’s turn to freeze and stare widely at the wall as he tried to process what was happening.

He rolled over, and as he hoped, there was Rocket lying next to him, silently looking at him with his dark copper eyes. Peter could only openly gape at the other racoon, not having expected this to happen in a million years.

 

Rocket huffed at his expression but averted his open gaze right after, growing all shy as he started to explain his sudden action, “You said you couldn’t sleep. So, if it means that being like this” he pointed between them “helps….”

He refused to finish his sentence, his tone having changed into a nearly undistinctive mumble because of the embarrassment that started growing not only on his face but also in his voice.

But Peter got it. And heaven, was he thankful for what Rocket was passively offering.

 

The adoration, his crush, for the though racoon intensified in that very moment to near infinity, warming up his chest and chasing away all those bad dreams and memories. The smile that he gave Rocket must of have not only shown his thankfulness but also how completely enamoured and charmed he was by him.

So, as to hide it from Rocket as soon as possible, he threw the sheets above the darker as well and pressed his head into Rocket’s chest, instantly clinging to him.

Damn…. Never had he been this completely swept off his feet as with Rocket. He was a total goner. And he couldn’t be happier.

Smiling to himself, Peter cuddled even closer to Rocket and grew even happier when Rocket wrapped his arms around him.

 

“Thank you” he whispered into the night. The tightening of Rocket’s arms around him was answer enough for him.

 

Still smiling and feeling warm and happy not only because of the hug but also because of the warm feelings fluttering inside his chest, Peter fell for a second night into a deep and restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nawww~ Looks like Rocket isn’t the only one with a crush after all. But they are idiots and wont admit to it tot he other’s face. Really boys, get on with it, the slow burn is killing us all!
> 
> I hoped you liked it. And I hope to update soon again.


	6. Hooked On A Feeling (FanArt)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the title says. No story update. Sorry, guys!
> 
> But I did some art instead! I had this picture of them in my head and needed to draw it. It's not the best, as I didn't add any shadows and look more like foxes than actual racoons (it's my first time drawing racoons an on my iPad no less), but I'm still happy about sharing it with you guys.  
> (Also, the background doesn't belong to me. It's a picture of the inside of the Milano and my reference for Peter and Rocket's shared bedroom in the previous chapter.)
> 
> Thank you all for your support and lovely comments! Your love for this ship keeps this story up and running.
> 
> I hope you like it.
> 
>  
> 
> ALSO:  
> I rewrote the summary, hoping it to be more fitting to the story now.  
> In my opinion, summaries should only then be written when the story is finished. Because you can start out your story with a clear image in your mind on how you want it to go, but while writing the story (and especially longer ones with multiple chapters) you realise that it is an ever-changing progress. Some things, you thought fitting at the beginning, maybe won't look as good later on as you thought it to be.  
> So, yeah that's why I did it and may do it again once I have finished it? But for now, I'm content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was finally able to upload it after an hour of trying to make it work! Really why does AO3 have to be so complicated? Well, here it is at last!
> 
> I also updated the art on my Tumblr side-blog. To view or follow click here: https://miakodacheveyo.tumblr.com/post/178603969918/did-some-art-for-my-fanfiction-lets-be-messed-up


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *crawls out from the depths of hell, beaten and bloodied, and throws the next chapter at you*  
> FINALLY!! Here you go, guys!  
> I'm soooo sorry for the delay, but university life got in the way..... (Frickin' essays)
> 
> Anyway, here it is! The long awaited Chapter 6!  
> Longest chapter so far.
> 
> What to look out for in this chapter:  
> Gamora snaps; Shopping-Time~; mental throwback (may be triggering for some I'm not sure. I just want to cover all my bases here) and caring Rocket.  
> But the MOST important of all! - A Stan Lee cameo! (In honour of this great man that sadly passed away from us just very recently. May he rest in peace)
> 
> Side-note:  
> The Shi'ar Empire is an actual Marvel civilisation, meaning it is canon in the comics. (I did some research for this chapter). So it does not belong to me. The featured planet in this chapter, however, is completely made up by me. (if there is any resembles, and I'm sure there isn't, then it's purely coincidental. BUT AGAIN, trying to cover all the bases here)
> 
> Now, go on! I hope you enjoy!

„We are clear for landing,“ notified Gamora, flipping a switch to start up the thrusters of the Milano.

 

„Then let’s bring this baby down,“ grinned Peter, obviously exhilarated at finally being able to actively pilot his beloved space-ship again.

Letting it fly on auto-pilot through the vast depths of the galaxy did not count. It was also the first time after the incident that he would step outside of the Milano and walk around other sentients as a racoon. 

So, he swiftly but professionally brought the Milano down on the outskirt of the city they chose to pay a visit to, to refill their stock and get some respite from travelling so long in space.

 

„I hope tha’ they at least have some bar with half decent drinks, “ yawned Rocket, while stretching his tired limbs away from his body and groaning in deep satisfaction when they popped with a loud crack.

 

„The furry beast has some good ideas. I shall join you!“ declared Drax right after.

 

Rocket’s sarcastic ‘Great’ went unheard. And even if, the man would just have taken it literally, as he always did, and then he would have pulled him into a friendly, but too tight to be comfortable, arm-lock.

He may allow Peter to touch and embrace him, though Rocket always responded with a grimace and half-hearted insult to hide his happiness and delight at being touched like that by the other man. And even though it was frequent occurrence, Rocket did want the others to find out about his newest weakness - though he’s quite sure that Gamora was on too him, going by the small, secretive smiles she was gracing him with whenever she caught his gaze when he was close to Peter - but that, by a long-shot, did not mean that he would let every idiot touch him without permission. 

Least of all that thick-headed buffoon.

 

„Don’t worry, Rocket. I heard that Larta’ashk is known for a certain kind of alcohol, so strong that it is sure to knock you out after even one drink. Don’t ask me though to pronounce it. That name was not made for humanoid vocal cords,“ reassured Peter with a playful quip thrown over his shoulder.

Rocket shot a near maniac grin back at the blonde at the possibility of getting shit-faced, „I’m counting on it, Quill.“

 

Gamora rolled her eyes at their dumb conversation. What was it with men and trying to best each other at who can hold his liquor better? (She would win anyway.) 

So, as always, she had to be the responsible grown-up of the team and ask the important questions, „What else do we know of Larta’ashk?“

 

Rocket leaned back into his seat, arms crossed behind his furry head, content to let Peter take complete control of the landing, as he opted to answer the female assassin in the occupied captain’s stead.

„It’s one of the minor colonies of the Shi’ar Empire. So, if we get in trouble we won’t instantly end up on the bad side of the Empire,“ he rubbed the back of his head as he remembered how his own idiotic behaviour, a few months back, nearly cost them their heads when he stole those batteries from The Sovereign, “65% of its population consists of its native inhabitants the Lartash’kri, the rest is an agglomeration of other alien species aligned under the rule of the Shi’ar Empire. 60% of the planet’s surface consists of drinkable water, 30% are large forests in which most of the inhabitants live in tribe like structures, and 10% are large cities build by foreign aliens allied to the empire. We are currently setting for Ragera, the capital city.”

 

“The Shi’ar Empire? It’s one of the most advanced and largest empires in the whole universe, spanning across several galaxies! Just imagine how many units we could earn if we get their attention as the infamous Guardians of the Galaxy, who had saved said galaxy! Twice!” declared Peter excitedly, his white and blonde striped tail twitching in response, while he managed to land the ship softly on the ground.

 

“Exactly” agreed Gamora, but, as always, she was calmer and more composed at the prospect of gaining the favours of a potential customer and ally than her furry captain and the rest of her teammates. The Shi’ar Empire could prove itself as a vital ally to have on their side if it were to come to a battle against Thanos. 

Yet, she did not mention this to Peter and the rest of the team. She didn’t want to worry them, but with her knowing what stood before them in the near future, the dangerous secret she had to keep hidden from everyone, to protect everyone she loved and cared for, it all rested heavily on her shoulders and she needed to think in the bigger picture of things than just gaining a few thousand units here and there.

 

That’s why not even a second after, she addressed the blonde man next to her with a fierce and admonishing glare and, though she said them to Peter’s face, her next words were addressed to each and every one of them, “So don’t mess it up. Or the Empire will be the last thing you worry about.”  
Of course her teammates didn’t catch the actual meaning behind her warning except that it was her, the galaxy’s most dangerous woman, making a threat to them if they were to mess up their chance at gaining a potential and profiting contract.

 

“Us?!” gasped Peter in feigned shock and disbelief, even placing his right paw daintily over his chest to look the part of a perfectly innocent man.

Rocked grinned and jumped into the faux-innocent parade, but his shit-eating grin ruined his whole charade and did nothing to cover the blatant lie he said next, “Yeah, Gamora. We would never do anything to anger anybody. Least of all an entire empire.”

 

The withering glare she shot them, unfortunately, did not set them on fire as she wanted them to be in that moment. How could she have ever thought it to be a good idea to let Peter and Rocket grow so close? One was already insufferable enough on their own. But the two of them put together? A Nightma-

 

„Fuzzy friends Quill and Rocket are right friend Gamora. Only stupid people would anger a powerful emperor and draw their attention onto themselves,“ added Drax unhelpfully to the conversation.

It was silent for a few seconds, everyone looking at the tattooed alien with a blank face, before Rocket finally pointed out, „You mean like you did with Ronan?“

„What do you mean? That was not the same thing,“ replied the bigger man with genuine confusion. 

Peter pressed back with a snort, „Yes, it was,“ to which Drax retaliated, „No it wasn’t! I’m not stupid, so it’s not the same!“

And this went on for another few moments, the argument going back and forth between Peter, Rocket against Drax. Mantis and Groot watched them silently, their heads moving from one side to the other as the battle on who is right continued.

 

Gamora groaned in pure exasperation and combed her fingers slowly through her dark purple hair in a hopeless effort to keep herself from slapping the stupidity out of these idiots heads. Gripping the hair at the back of her scalp she hissed to herself, „I’ll say it again, one day I’m going to die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy.“

In the end, she did slap the back of each of the three idiots’ heads.

 

~~~***~~~

 

Rubbing the still sore back of his head, Peter exited the ship that had been his confinement for the few weeks for the first time, with still consistent excitement and a skip in his steps, even after being taken down a notch by Gamora.

He loved his ship, it was his most precious baby, but he needed to get out! He wanted to walk farther than just a few square meters before colliding with a cold metal wall, stretch out his new limbs and put them to the real test.

And what better way than to do just that by spending an afternoon strolling around a mysterious new city with Rocket at his side?

 

So, with renewed vigour, he turned back around to Rocket with a large and toothy grin.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Rocket, who was nursing a sore head of his own as well at that moment, looked at Peter in suspicious annoyance, knowing that the blonde was up to something dumb whenever he wore that stupid grin, „What is it now? Stop looking at me like that.“

 

Ignoring his second comment and instead opting to answer his question, Peter grabbed one of Rocket’s paws into his looked at him with wide, pleading eyes, the grin still very much present, „You were planning on getting some stuff to repair and upgrade the ship, right? Need some hand in that?“

 

„I thought ya were going with Gamora ta do grocery shopping. As ya always do,“ countered Rocket straight back, trying to not let his nervousness show at the prospect of spending a whole day browsing through the streets with his secret crush by his side.

 

“I was actually, but then I changed my mind. If that’s not a problem with you, Gams” he looked over to the tall woman who was currently carrying Groot in her arms as she exited the ship.

 

Gamora shrugged her shoulders, seemingly unbothered by Peter’s impromptu decision of ditching her in favour of joining Rocket, “I would be glad to. That saves me from a day of mindless chatter.”

 

Rocket pulled an irked expression at her words, “And therefore ya’re happy ta condemn mine?”

Both ignored the affronted ‘Rude!’ coming from Peter and instead opted to hold each other’s gazes in a heated stare-off.

 

Gamora smirked, obviously very self-satisfied about this outcome, “Well, since you two have grown so close over these past few weeks I thought of it to be no problem. And that you would be happy to spend some more time together.”

 

Rocket narrowed his copper eyes at her, not liking how she said that last part. His suspicions about her finding out about his so very well-kept secret feelings for the blonde man standing between them are slowly but surely being affirmed. And he hated that. 

An unpleasant feeling spread in his gut at the possibility of her holding that leverage over his head like an unattainable piece of meat.

 

“I am Groot,” piped the sapling in, passively diffusing the growing tension between his two most headstrong parents.

“What do ya mean ya decided ta go with Gamora today? We always go together!” questioned Rocket indignantly.

“I am Groot” clarified Groot.

 

Rocket threw his arms up in the air at the unfairness of the universe, first Peter wanting to tag alongside him, then the chance of Gamora knowing about his crush on said racoon and now even his own son has forsaken him! Can it get any worse than this?

„Well since that’s been cleared up, can I go with you then?“ asked Peter again, grinning even more so as it was quite apparent that Rocket wouldn’t be able to refuse his company if he didn’t want to go alone.

 

Rocket glowered at him, annoyed and frustrated at being the only one who doesn’t get anything favourable out of this whole ordeal.  
Knowing that protesting wouldn’t deter the other man from simply following him, Rocket emitted a defeated sigh and instead opted to ask him about Peter’s sudden change of heart, „Why?” 

Yes, they have grown closer over the last few weeks, and even more so during the last few nights spend together sleeping in either one of their sleeping cots, but Peter had never before accompanied him on his errand runs, at least not when it would have been just the two of them. So, he was genuinely confused as well as curious about Peter’s answer. 

And that’s what made him so nervous. On the ship, they had never been entirely alone except for those small exceptional moments like the one in the shower and their bedroom during night time.

 

„Well, since this is my first time outside of the ship, as a racoon mind you, I would like to be with someone who knows how to help me, in case something goes wrong…. As it often does for us. Also, you can’t possibly carry all those things you need for the Milano all by yourself, right? Also, it’s still my ship, so I think I should be allowed to get a say in the matters of what should be done on it and what shouldn’t,“ he explained in one long breath, without even gasping for air at the end of his rant.

 

Rocket was still secretly impressed by this peculiar ability of the blonde man. Talking as fast and as much in such a short time without getting out of breath. It probably came from always trying to talk himself out of the miserable predicaments he always managed to get himself into before he gets shot down by whomever he pissed off at that moment. And as trouble really did seem to follow him wherever he went, he must have gotten a lot of training and experience in it over all these years.

 

He mumbled a nearly inaudible, “Ya never cared before about what I did ta yar ship” but then resigned with another defeated sigh and looked at Peter with exasperated eyes, “Fine. You can tag along with me today.”

 

Another flashy grin and then he was dragged down the rest of the platform by an overexcited blonde furred rodent.  
“What the-!? Slow down, idiot!”

Of course, he was ignored.

 

~~~***~~~

 

The city of Ragera wasn’t the most advanced or flashy or exciting city they had been to, but it wasn’t the most boring or uninteresting either.  
After three hours of browsing through the streets, the two racoons had barely acquired half of what Rocket needed or desired for his plans on the ship, but therefore they discovered some other nice trinkets that could be of additional use to them. Rocket’s mind was already starting to fill up with new plans and ideas of a new primary weapon and defence system for the Milano.

 

Peter was strolling beside him, carrying a large bag with some of the said trinkets and curiously looked inside it.

„What are those for again?“ he asked while he carefully lifted an apple-sized glowing blue orb out of the bag and inspected it a little closer.

 

It wasn’t like he didn’t know anything about the mechanics of spaceships. He did have to repair his ship all by himself from time to time, especially after he had deserted Yondu and the other Ravagers to go solo. And spaceship mechanics that checked your damaged ship, without instantly ratting you out to the officials and demanding to nearly sacrifice your whole income, were hard to come by in certain parts of the galaxy.

However, he was no genius in these matters like Rocket was. Not by a long shot. And he found himself constantly impressed by every new invention the darker coloured male procured up next.

 

Rocket took the orb from Peter’s paw and grinned wide and broad as he threw it up into the air and caught it again, before turning it in his paw.

„This, Quill, will allow the Milano to obtain an optical camouflage system. If I do everything correctly, and I always do, then this baby will cover the ship like a cloak and provide it with counter-illumination, thus turning us invisible to the physical eye,“ he explained, obviously very excited about this certain future project of his.

 

Peter copied his grin, his tail waving slightly from side to side as if Rocket’s excitement was contagious, „That’s genius, Rocky! Now we just need something to make us invisible to the radars as well.“

 

Rocket threw him a foxy grin, „Already on it. I just need a few more components to make it work, and then we will be completely invisible to everyone.“ he motioned with a head tilt to a shop a few feet in front of them, „Let’s check this last place out and then let’s go back to the ship to drop these things off before we hunt down a half-decent bar. I need some strong booze after spending this whole day with you inane chattering.“

 

Peter let out a mock squawk and bumped his shoulder against Rocket’s in retaliation as they made their way to the last shop for the day, softly chuckling beneath his breath.

„I still don’t understand why you don’t just take some of those bottles from your secret stash behind the loose panel in your workshop that you try to keep hidden but everyone knows exists nonetheless,“ he teased, his blue eyes glittering with mischief at Rocket’s stumped expression, and outright laughed at the darker male when he was shortly after faced with a withering glare.

 

„They are for emergencies,“ responded Rocket curtly and started stomping in a faster pace towards the shop while silently cursing his teammates. Now he needed to find a new one.

Peter followed with a silly grin and kept on snickering to himself.

 

~~~***~~~

 

The shop wasn’t as big as the ones they visited before, but it wasn’t small either. A little run-down, though, but all of that was easily overlooked for the sheer number of tools, gadgets and metal parts it had to offer. Its shopkeeper was an elderly man with dark grey and white hair and moustache, and dark shades, apparently not caring that he wore them indoors, he kept on chatting animatedly into his communicator.

He looked kind of familiar to Rocket, but he didn’t know from where. Nah, he didn’t care, as long as he found something of worth to him in this metal chaos.

 

There was another customer with them in the shop, who looked like a murdering space pirate straight out of prison, and who kept glancing at them, but mostly Peter, with a look that just rubbed him the wrong way.

Like they were some sort of prize he had to get his dirty hands on.

It’s not like they couldn’t take care of themselves, they are the Guardians for fuck's sake, and Rocket had done a lot of nasty shit in his past before he even met his new team. He didn’t use to be one of the best bounty hunters for nothing.

But it would be better if Rocket found something for the ship fast and get them out of there before something bad happens, as he did not want to give Gamora any more reasons to bash their heads in even more so than she already did earlier this day.

 

So, without further ado he scanned the shelves upon shelves for something that could be of some use for him, his copper eyes already trained on how to pick out what looked promising for him to use for his inventions and future projects.

Meanwhile, he could hear Peter behind him, trifling with whatever he currently found most interesting. Probably the shiny and glowy fuses that Rocket saw upon entering the shop. They were pretty fancy but nothing that could help him in a fight. They were children’s toys to him as they would barely manage to hurt an alien four times his size. So, they were not worth his attention. But fortunately, enough they were interesting enough to keep the noisy blonde occupied while he did a quick scoop around the shop. 

A soft chuckle slipped from his lips at the thought. Peter and he weren’t so different in that they both liked shiny things that promised severe pain to others. Him as a mechanic and Peter as a former Ravager. And yet Peter did not want him to test out his moon-bomb. Sucks the fun right out of it.

 

Still, thinking about the many times where the both of them squabbled over some of Rocket’s most notorious weapons, his eyes landed upon a Xandarian metal-drive that would help with the radar intended cloaking system. He didn’t know how the old shopkeeper came to own this specific drive, he was not complaining mind you. But he was still a little curious as to how he got his hands on it, as the Xandarians were pretty careful about keeping their secret tech away from outside forces.

Rocket only learned about this particular drive when he secretly hacked into their system while commandeering the Nova Corps Starblaster during the battle against Ronan, though he had no chance to snatch one for himself after that whole fiasco was over and done with, as he was too engrossed in mourning Groot’s death.

 

So, he quickly grabbed the drive from its place on the shelve and, after sparing a quick glance over the rest of the displayed gadgets and finding nothing more of worth to him, turned around to call Peter that he was done. But upon turning, he clamped his mouth shut, and dread started to fill up his insides as he saw that nasty space pirate standing now only a few inches next to the blonde, and that said blonde had a rather pissed off expression on his face thanks to the invading of his personal space.

 

“Hey, you mind stepping back a little? Against popular believes, I’m not a freaking doormat to be stepped on,” warned Peter the burly alien in his own charming way off, managing to sound both threatening and joking at the same time.

 

The other alien though does not seem to care about Peter’s warning as he only stepped closer, chuckling lowly, “Uhhhh the furball got bite as well. Ah know some blokes who would give thousands of units ta have somethin’ like you in their dirty grasps.”

 

Trophy Hunter. 

Great.

This wasn’t the first time that Rocket had run into some of those nasty shitbags. They hunted everything that was rare or near extinct, only to sell them off on the next best black market like some rabid creature to people who were obsessed with owning such things. People like that Collector guy back on Knowhere. And since Rocket used to be the only one of his kind he was pretty much a desired target.

But now Peter had become a target as well. He should have waned him! But he completely forgot about them!

So, it was no wonder that Rocket felt himself tense up. Ready to jump in, in case things got ugly, even though he knew that Peter could very well defend himself. 

Well, he knew he could while he still used to be human but now as a racoon? Maybe it really was good that he went with Peter.

 

Peter in question, took a few steps back from the taller alien in front of him and glowered at him in warning to not come any closer, “Hey man. I wouldn’t even try doing what you are probably planning right now. Wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

 

The hunter let out such a loud bellowing laugh as if what Peter had said was the funniest thing in the whole universe, “You? Ya’re nothing more tha’ just som’ dumb animal. Probably nothin’ more than a goldn’ project gone wrong by some mad scientists. Ain’t I right?”

 

Rocket, who had been keeping himself from stepping in between, knowing that Peter, prideful as he is, didn’t appreciate that, stopped his growling when he noticed Peter freeze up at the asshole’s words. He went perfectly motionless as if completely paralysed. 

That was not good.

 

“But ya’re a pretty thing. Yar goldn’ fur will sell well and som’ of those pervs like ‘em sure feisty.”

 

Pride or not, Rocket’s going to blast this guy’s face off for talking to his best friend like this!

He started forward just as the hunter lifted his right arm, either to hit Peter or to grab him by the scruff of his neck.  
Rocket did not see this next thing coming.

Snapping out of his frozen state like a taut spring, Peter let out such a loud and savage sounding snarl that it shocked even the hell out of Rocket.

And he was a master in vicious snarls and growls.

 

Rocket skidded to halt as he regarded Peter with shocked surprise.

His dangerously sharp teeth were entirely bared, sharp claws glinting in the low light of the shop, his round pearl-white ears pressed flat to his scalp, and the golden-brown fur on his neck, as well as on his white and blonde striped tail, stood up like pin-needles.

But it were his eyes that had Rocket rooted to the spot. 

Instead of the calm sky blue, they were like burning ice. His pupils had become just mere narrow slits. 

There was nothing rational or even human in these eyes anymore. 

Just pure feral anger of a savage animal that had been severely hurt and abused, and which wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on its abuser.

An animal that was just simply and utterly _afraid_.

How Rocket knew? 

Because at one point in time, he had been _this_ feral shadow of himself.

 

But never would he have thought that Peter, always cheerful and smiling Peter, would fall to be the subject of his own animalistic instincts like this. Protecting himself from any kind of danger and or pain, no matter the cost.

So, it came to no surprise that Rocket was unable to hold Peter back, as said blonde lunged at the hunter with another vicious snarl rattling from the depths of his throat.

 

All of this happened only in a matter of seconds, yet it felt like ages to Rocket as he witnessed his best friend and secret crush caught in the caging memories of his agonising pain.

 

The hunter stumbled back, screaming bloody murder as he desperately tried to punch or throw of the furry beast that was currently biting, scratching and carving deep into his skin with t sharp teeth and claws, tearing up his face and clothes. He had not anticipated for the dumb talking animal to attack him like this! 

Sure, his prey always put up quite the fights but then he had been prepared, this came right out of the blue. He went for the golden thing, not only because of the shininess of its pretty golden fur but also because he thought it to be the milder and more docile of the two sewer rats. How wrong he had been! And now he was paying for his grave mistake of underestimating the blonde furball.

 

Rocket in the meantime could only gape in horrified silence as he watched the fight.

Ripped off patches of clothes and sprays of blood went flying through the air as Peter continued his wild assault on the hunter.  
Well, he had it coming. Rocket did not feel bad for the man one bit. He definitely deserved it. 

But it pained him to see Peter like this, knowing that after he snapped out of it, Peter would drown himself in guilt, at having clearly lost his mind. To have been ruled by the suppressed memories of his painful and all too recent past.

 

Rocket snapped out of his shocked state when the hunter toppled over in his continued attempt to get Peter off of him and incidentally taking one of the shelves down with them. He must of have had hit his head really hard and knocked himself out for the hunter wasn’t moving anymore and just laid like a big limp trash bag on the floor.

Rocket moved towards the pair and tried somehow to get a good grip on the still thrashing blonde racoon without redirecting his anger onto himself.

 

“Quill! Quill! Qui-!” he tried to get the other’s attention while reaching out to him. However, he had to snatch his hand back as Peter quite literally snapped at him, emitting another growl. But Rocket won’t let that stop him from trying to get his friend back. 

He saw an opening when Peter turned his attention back towards the hunter with raised claws, ready to carve out the hunter’s eyes from his already bloodied eyelids.

So, he pounced, tackling the other racoon off of the hunter’s unconscious and bloodied body and onto the ground next to him.

 

Peter instantly started thrashing with such vigour that Rocket was nearly thrown off of him right after. And Rocket was sure that Peter would have managed that with no problem would he have regained his full strength by now. 

Alas, and fortunately for him, Peter didn’t, and Rocket was able to avoid the swift swipe of sharp claws to his face. He managed to pin Peter’s hands above his head with one of his own and pressed his other hand against Peter's chin, forcefully enough to keep him from headbutting him or snapping at him for a second time, but not too forceful to choke him.

It pained him to see the other man like this. Thrashing and withering underneath him in a desperate attempt to escape his restricting hold. Snarling, growling and whimpering not only because he was seething with anger at being subdued and kept from hurting the man that was about to hurt him, but mainly because he was so, so afraid. In his mind, he was probably still trapped in that lab with the scientists.

Rocket had to make him snap out of it or all the progress that Peter had achieved over all these past few weeks would be for nothing.

 

“Hey-hey. Hey, Quill! Peter! Come on, snap out of it!” he urged, desperation of his own seeping into his tone.

It seemed to work as Peter’s growls seemed to quieten down and the wild look in his eyes seemed to recede. He moved his hand holding Peter’s chin down up to his left cheek, to show him that he meant him no harm.

 

So, Rocket finally let go of Peter’s wrists and continued talking to him in a soothing tone, trying to calm him down, “It’s okay, Peter. I’m here. It wasn’t real. Ya’re not there anymore. They won’t hurt ya anymore. He won’t hurt ya anymore. Please, _come back to me_.”

After a few moments of soothing and cooed words, the only sounds that left Peter’s mouth were soft and pained whimpers. And he was crying.  
It broke Rocket’s heart to see him like this, but thankfully Peter seemed to finally have come out of his feral state and regained his lucid thoughts.

 

“Rocket,” Peter stopped and pressed himself into the other’s chest, winding his arms around the other man’s shoulders and pulling him closer, “I- I didn’t…. I- I couldn’t…. I-I was so lost…”

Rocket hugged him back, holding his trembling body close to him. And for once he did not care about who saw him like this or not. Comforting Peter and calming him down was now far more important than his pride and reputation as a though and unapproachable guy.

“Shhhh… It’s okay. Ya’re _safe_. I’m here. I’m not leaving you. Not again,” he soothed Peter some more, nuzzling his cheek against Peter’s while simultaneously running one black paw over the other’s fluffy neck fur, “Let’s go back to the ship, hmmm? Back home?”

He received a small nod in response and Rocket made to get the both of them off of the floor, all the while never letting go of the other man, who held on to his dark blue and black overall with a death grip.

 

A quick glance to the side confirmed that the hunter was still out cold and that he surely wouldn’t get up that soon either. That would teach him to never underestimate anyone ever again, no matter how small or weak they seem to be.

Meanwhile, the old shopkeeper, who had hidden himself behind the counter during the fight but who had come out once the fight was over and who watched the process of Rocket calming down a shaken-up Peter, smiled sympathetically at Rocket as he helped his lighter coloured counterpart to stand up. 

Rocket shot him a quick look, not daring to take his eyes off of Peter for too long, and after some fishing around in his pockets pulled out some units and threw them towards the old man.

“For the drive and some compensation” he explained curtly.

The old man smiled and waved him off, “Don’t worry about it, young man. Just get your friend back home and take good care of him. He is lucky to have you.”

 

Trying to not let old man’s words affect him, Rocket slowly led Peter towards the exit and out of the shop and finally away from that bastard of a trophy hunter. 

The way back to the Milano took a while, as Peter was still pretty much distraught about what happened back in the shop, about what he had done. 

 

~~~***~~~

 

Fortunately, they were the only ones back at the Milano. Either the others were still scouting the city, or they had decided to get some food/drinks there before coming back even later in the evening. 

Fortunately, because Rocket wasn’t sure how Peter would have taken it if the rest of their team would have seen him in his current distressed state. Probably not good, as Rocket knew that Peter tried to look strong and unbothered by his recent predicaments. However, over the last few weeks, while they had grown closer, Rocket learned that Peter was actually a far better liar than he originally thought him to be.

 

He saw Peter’s stolen glances at his new body from time to time, frustrated and resenting. Even defeated sometimes.  
But then he still kept on trying. Always standing back up when life brought him down and holding his head high facing whatever was thrown his way, again and again. 

And that was something that Rocket deeply admired about the other man. The will to just go and not instantly give up even though it looked to be the easiest way out. Just like he did when faced with Ronan, then again with his asshole of a father, and now as a freaking racoon.

And so, Rocket noted, Peter wasn’t a _liar_ at all, but a person who proved his greatest strength by battling his inner demons all by himself – his fear of facing Ronan who had a freaking Infinity Stone in his possession at that time, and then the deep betrayal and hurt he felt when his own father by blood saw in him nothing more than a powerful tool to control the entire universe - and coming out victorious in the end.

 

He moved closer to Peter, who looked with an empty gaze at his paws, the once pearl white fur now sullied with the blood of the hunter, and Rocket took them in his own darker ones. Peter looked up into Rocket’s eyes, and the darker smiled reassuringly at him and was happy when he gained a small one in return.

Rocket silently promised to himself, and to Peter, that from now on Peter won’t have to face his demons alone. He will stand by his side and be his support when he can’t keep standing upright by himself anymore. His shoulder to cry on when the stress and the panic got too much for Peter, and his silent protector from all the things that wished to do him harm. 

He will be the _shadow_ to Peter’s _light_.

Always there right beside him.

 

He internally curled his nose at how corny and mushy his thoughts sounded, but he could and would not push them away as he had done every other time. 

Peter needs him.

And damn it he cares too much about the other man to ever see him like this again. 

_The man he grew more and more in love with, with every passing day._

 

And he would start straight away with the upholding of his promise. He got an idea on how to cheer the sad racoon up. Hopefully. 

He led Peter slowly towards the bathroom and helped him get rid of the blood with a warm and much-needed shower. And even though Rocket was a little disappointed that their second shared shower came to be of such painful circumstances and not from the desired passion he had secretly hoped for, he was still happy when Peter finally relaxed a little more when he massaged his tense shoulders.

 

After the shower, he let Peter dry off by himself while he stole himself to his workshop to fetch some things real quick before he returned to the other man who still looked slightly out of place standing alone in front of the bathroom.

 

“What is that?” he asked, his tone laced with fatigue, as he motioned with a head tilt towards the lump of cloth that Rocket was holding underneath his right arm.

Rocket grinned but instead of answering he started to carefully nudge Peter towards the cockpit. Peter furrowed his brows but let the taller guide him.

 

“Rocket? Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see,” he helpfully supplied.

 

When they reached the cockpit, Rocket opened the hatch that allowed them to get on the back of the ship. And once they were up on the roof, Rocket sat down and motioned for Peter to join him. Peter gave him a wondrous smile but all too happily joined him. When he was adequately situated, Rocket unfolded the cloth and revealed it to be a thin blanket which he wrapped around the blonde before he could protest. 

Rocket grinned when he heard a small chuckle escaping from Peter when he popped his head out from the blanket cocoon, the fur on his head ruffled. And then he lifted the second object he brought with him as well, waving it tantalisingly in front of Peter’s face, whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the alcohol bottle.

 

“Don’t get your hopes up, blondie. This one’s not strong enough to get you shit-faced, but enough to get a nice buzz going. Don’t really think that drowning yourself in alcohol is good for you at the moment.”

 

“And that coming from you?” teased Peter lightly, taking the bottle from Rocket.

“ _Especially_ because it's coming from me. Don’t make the same mistakes as I did many times before,” responded Rocket wryly.

 

Peter looked at him over the top of the mouth of the bottle and smiled before taking a swig from the drink.

“Mhnnn- It’s sweet!” he blurted out and looked at Rocket in bewilderment.

 

Rocket huffed, affronted, “So what? I may have a sweet tooth.”

 

Peter grinned widely at him in disbelief, “So you mean to tell me that it’s you eating all the sweets away and not Groot or Drax?”

Rocket grinned back like a Cheshire cat, “And what if I am?”

 

The chiming laugh Peter finally graced him with, warmed his heart.

He took the bottle from Peter, whose delightful laughter was slowly subsiding into soft chuckles, and took a swig of the sweet beverage himself, cherishing its sweet taste.

 

“Rocket?” Rocket shot him a side-glance while taking another sip.

Peter smiled at him, warm and beautiful, all wrapped up in his blanket cocoon, “ _Thank you_.”

 

Not knowing what to say, Rocket could only nod his head and smile back at the man he loved.

“We are quite messed up, aren’t we? Two men turned into creatures, not meant to exist,” noted Peter quietly, his sky-blue eyes looking towards the horizon and over the planet’s blue and orange forest cast in the shimmering green light of the Larta’arshkan sunset.

 

Rocket bumped his dark shoulder softly against the other man’s lighter one, drawing his attention back to him.  
Once those sky blues settled on his face, Rocket shot him a wide toothy and foxy grin, as he said, “Then, _let’s be messed up together_.”

Peter smiled back and returned the soft shoulder bump with one of his own, “Yeah, let’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gasp! The title has made its appearance!
> 
> This chapter did soooo not want to be written, and I struggled with it so much. But in the end.... it didn't even turn out as I originally planned it.  
> I rewrote so many scenes that it drove me crazy because I didn't like the way they were going, so that's the other reason why it took so long to finish this chapter. So, I'm not exactly happy with it, but I'm relieved to have it finally finished.  
> I stopped here because what I wanted to write afterwards would have been too heavy and therefore ruined this whole warm atmosphere these two lovebirds have created, so I cut it short.
> 
> Therefore I'll post a smaller chapter featuring the deleted thematics. But it will take a while because I still have one Exam coming up and it (unfortunately) takes precedence...  
> But hopefully, the next two chapter will be updated quite fast after I finish my exam and return home for the holidays.  
> The next will be on the short side as I already set. 
> 
> Whereas the one after that is the chapter I have been most looking forward to writing *rubs her hands together giddily*  
> Prepare yourself for some flirting, dancing and jealousy~
> 
> I hope you still like this chapter. See ya~  
> (And now, if you excuse me, I'm going to drop down and sleep for 12 hours straight before I'm going to be dragged back to hell.)


End file.
